Shinichi stared at the teapot lying shattered on the ground, his expression darkening as waves of invisible fury radiated from him.
"Old man, you'd better give me an explanation!"
Elder Moriki set down his teacup and rose to his feet, curling a finger at Shinichi with a mocking smile that dripped with provocation.
"You bastard!"
Shinichi exploded like a lit powder keg, his rage driving him to swing his fist straight at the old man.
He had seen this geezer trade blows with Lower Moon Demon Rokuro earlier—surely he wouldn't be killed by a single punch.
But damn, this old man was infuriating!
Thud!
A withered, bony hand effortlessly caught Shinichi punch.
Shinichi froze.
He was certain he had put enough force behind that strike to at least leave a dent in solid rock, yet the old man didn't even flinch—he looked completely unfazed.
Before Shinichi could process it, Elder Moriki fingers clamped down, locking onto his fist.
The old man stepped back with his right foot and yanked—hard.
A tremendous force wrenched Shinichi forward, throwing him off balance.
Elder Moriki hunched frame twisted at an impossible angle, shifting his stance in an instant until his back was against Shinichi.
Thud!
Shinichi stumbled right into him—but it wasn't over.
The old man lifted his right leg and kicked backward!
Shinichi' feet left the ground and another brutal tug on his arm sent him spinning through the air. Before he knew it, he was sprawled flat on his back, utterly humiliated.
The entire exchange—from punch to takedown—had taken mere seconds.
As Shinichi scrambled back up, confusion and fury burned in his chest, his eyes blazing crimson.
"AGAIN!" he roared, charging at Elder Moriki once more.
The old man merely smiled and beckoned him forward.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The dull thumps of flesh hitting the floor echoed relentlessly through the room. Eventually, even Ryukawa Chinatsu, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn't take it anymore.
It was too brutal.
She quickly scooped up little Maru-ni and hurried out of the room.
Maru-ni, blissfully oblivious and full from its meal, seemed to sense no malice from Elder Moriki. He cheerfully ignored his master being tossed around like a ragdoll.
*****
Time blurred.
Shinichi stood panting, his eyes bloodshot with frustration, while Elder Moriki remained as calm as ever.
"Care for another round, young man? These old bones can still handle it."
"It's you!" Shinichi spat.
"You did something to me, didn't you? Like that damn wisteria tea! I can feel it—my strength is gone! This is your doing!"
He wasn't stupid.
During their exchanges, he had realized his speed and power had diminished drastically.
His entire fighting style relied on his demon-enhanced abilities—without them, he was just an ordinary, untrained kid in front of Elder Moriki.
Elder Moriki looked at Shinichi resentful expression and said.
"Young man, tell me, why did you help us fight Lower Moon Four that night on Shirai Mountain? Do you also despise demons?"
Shinichi scoffed "Of course! I hate demons just like you do. But in people eyes, I'm probably no different from those man-eating monsters. Old man, why would you think the Demon Slayer Corps would accept a demon as one of their members? So don't bother trying to teach me any damn breathing techniques—my own strength is enough!"
Elder Moriki sighed deeply, his gaze profound as he studied Shinichi.
"No matter how powerful you are, it still belongs to the power of the demons, not to you."
"I don't care what kind of power it is, as long as it's enough for my revenge!"
"Then do you want to remain a demon forever? Young man, don't you want to experience being human again?" As Elder Moriki words fell, the room plunged into silence.
Shinichi crimson eyes locked onto the elder.
"You... can you turn me back into a human?" His voice trembled slightly.
If possible, he didn't want to remain a demon despised and feared by humans.
But in response to Shinichi hopeful gaze, Elder Moriki slowly shook his head.
"No, I cannot turn a demon back into a human."
"However..."
The sudden word made Shinichi disappointed expression freeze—was there still hope?
"Though I cannot restore your humanity, I can help you experience human sensations once more."
Boom!
The elder words struck Shinichi like lightning.
"How?!" he demanded immediately.
Elder Moriki smiled and pointed at the teapot on the floor.
"Aren't you already doing so? Young man, you must understand—wisteria flowers can repel demons with just their scent. How could a demon possibly drink tea infused with their essence?"
With that, he handed Shinichi a mirror.
Looking down at the mirror, Shinichi saw a face both familiar and strange.
He felt dazed—the reflection was far gentler than the monstrous visage he'd first seen in the stream reflection.
The bulging veins had receded beneath his skin, his sharp fangs no longer appeared ferocious, merely slightly more pointed than a human.
The terrifying aura of malice that had constantly shrouded his face had completely vanished and the bloodshot veins in his crimson eyes had faded, making them appear unexpectedly soft.
Even the black claws on his fingertips had lightened.
Now, at first glance, Shinichi no longer looked like a demon, but rather a coldly handsome young man.
With complex emotions, Shinichi stared at his reflection—until a sweet-smelling dorayaki blocked his view.
"Try it. Experience being human again, then tell me your choice, young man."
*****
In the spacious shrine of the Moriki residence, Ryukawa Chinatsu approached Elder Moriki, who was kneeling quietly before rows of memorial tablets, carrying Maru-ni in her arms.
"Mitsuyo-sama" she asked softly.
"has Shinichi agreed?"
Elder Moriki turned his gaze to one of the many memorial tablets before him.
The tablet bore the inscription.
"Moriki Shunichi."
"Our ancestor choice cannot be wrong" he said.
"This child will truly carry on the legacy of Breath of the Forest."