Chapter 3: You Fell For It! Idiot!
"Little fox, tell me, who is that little girl to you?"
The Hand Demon used its thick arms to pin Sabito's body firmly, its cross-shaped pupils contracting with excitement in the dim light.
It enjoyed every struggling vibration transmitted from its palm, and the faint wails emitted by Sabito's bones.
Urokodaki's Disciple, another little fox, was about to be crushed by it.
This was what Urokodaki owed it!
Every single Disciple—it would eat them all, skin and bones, until they were completely clean.
"Ah, it doesn't matter if you don't say anything. That little girl was truly exquisite; her skin was like fresh-fallen snow, and her eyes were so moist. She was especially beautiful when she cried."
It paused deliberately, enjoying Sabito's sudden, tense trembling.
"I started eating from the tips of her left fingers first. One by one, chewing slowly."
As it spoke, it paused again, as if reminiscing about that delicious feast.
"She cried until her voice broke, yet her other hand still gripped her blade tightly, desperately trying to cut my neck."
The Hand Demon tilted its massive head, hidden among countless arms, and mimicked a delicate voice: "'My Junior Brother... will definitely avenge me.' She kept muttering that until her last breath. So, is this Junior Brother you?"
It scanned Sabito up and down with its cross-shaped pupils and clicked its tongue: "Tsk tsk, looking at you now, it seems you aren't. But it doesn't matter."
It split its giant mouth open, revealing layers of interlocking fangs, and a turbid laugh rolled from its throat: "I'll send you down right now to see that little girl. Remember to say hello to her, and remember to tell her..."
The Hand Demon's grip on Sabito's arm suddenly tightened: "The Junior Brother she placed high hopes in has failed! Moreover, no matter how many Junior Brothers come, they will all fail! In the end, even your master Urokodaki will be eaten by me!"
"Hahahaha!"
Wild laughter vibrated through the air.
The Hand Demon watched as the last light in Sabito's eyes shattered bit by bit, watched blood and tears roll down mixed with despair, and watched that fox mask fragment, similar to the one in its memory, sway in the wind.
It laughed wildly!
Yes, that's it! This is how Urokodaki's Disciples should be!
It wanted to torture Urokodaki's Disciples bit by bit; not only would their bodies be chewed to pieces, but even their Souls would be crushed to powder, and even their final thoughts would turn into rotten soil!
Only then could the hatred for Urokodaki in its heart be soothed!
"Ugh... ah..."
Sabito's throat was squeezed until only airy gasps remained. Veins bulged on his purple-blue face, and the ten fingers clutching the demon's hand tore and bled from the exertion.
Unwillingness, regret, rage, and heart-wrenching helplessness entwined around him.
If only he could be a bit stronger, if only he could be a bit stronger!
Senior Sister Makomo, the Senior Sister who would gently stroke his head, softly encourage him, and tie the knot of his mask after morning practice... The Hand Demon admired the prairie-fire of pain in his eyes, its pleasure reaching its peak: "Yes, this kind of expression... Urokodaki's Disciples should die with this kind of expression."
Swish!
The dull sound of an arm breaking made the Hand Demon startle.
Its cross-shaped pupils turned slowly, looking toward the figure that had snatched Sabito from its palm.
It was Ryuji!
He carefully placed the dying Sabito under a distant tree, and his tense shoulders finally relaxed slightly.
He made it... Just barely, just by a hair.
"Cough, cough... be careful... very strong, neck is very hard... hands, can regenerate..."
Sabito's vision was blurred, and he could barely make out the newcomer's silhouette, yet he still used his last strength to squeeze out a raspy warning.
"Mm, don't move. Your bones are all broken; you must receive medical treatment as soon as possible."
Ryuji's voice was exceptionally steady, but his movements checking the wounds were fast and light.
He stood up and turned toward the massive and deformed Hand Demon. The killing intent in his eyes wasn't intense, but it was pure!
[Powerful pirate detected. Please proceed with caution, Host.]
"Hmm?"
The Hand Demon tilted its head. Granulation tissue had already begun to wriggle at the cross-section of its broken arm. It sized up Ryuji, its voice mixed with a hint of irritation at having its fun interrupted and fresh curiosity: "Where did another brat pop out from?"
It slowly grinned, and new fingers drilled out from the wound, making a sickeningly squelching sound: "One after another, Urokodaki's Disciples are truly endless..."
Ryuji remained silent, only taking a deep breath.
In an instant, the muscles across his entire body bulged and tightened like rocks. The heavy sense of power unique to Stone Breathing surged through his limbs and bones.
The Stone Breathing, which had been sluggish to operate before, actually became as smooth as a rushing river under the support of the majestic vitality brought by the One piece Physique.
This gave Ryuji a bit of a pleasant surprise.
The original owner of this body had been practicing Stone Breathing, the most difficult among the five basic Breathing Techniques.
In this generation, only the Stone Hashira Himejima Gyomei was using Stone Breathing; others simply had no way to Practice it.
And the original owner happened to have some compatibility with Stone Breathing, which was also the reason he was recommended to participate in the Mount Fujikasane trial.
The transmigrated Ryuji naturally inherited the original owner's Stone Breathing.
"My teacher is not Mr. Urokodaki..."
Ryuji said indifferently as he gripped his nichirin blade. The One piece Physique and Stone Breathing were simply too perfect a match!
The combination of the two was not a simple case of one plus one equals two.
The reason Stone Breathing was difficult to Practice was largely because it was hard for a youth's Heart-Nature and physical condition to reach the required level.
Originally, Ryuji had only barely touched the threshold of Stone Breathing, merely having learned it.
But now, with the One piece Physique... among the five major Breathing Techniques, none was more suitable for him than Stone Breathing!
"Ah, it doesn't matter."
The Hand Demon swayed its arm-covered body nonchalantly, a playful and cruel light flashing in its eyes: "It's the same regardless of who it is. Originally, since you interrupted me from enjoying my feast, I should have made you die in agonizing pain... However, I have a better idea now."
It deliberately drew out its words, pleasure almost overflowing from the corners of its eyes.
"I will tear you apart and swallow you bit by bit right in front of that little fox, letting him listen well to your wails until he completely breaks in despair and helplessness! As for your arms... I will keep them as a special collection."
Ryuji didn't pay any attention; he simply stepped off and charged toward the Hand Demon!
"Ha? Just this?"
Looking at Ryuji's speed, which wasn't even half of Sabito's, the Hand Demon couldn't help but scoff, its tone full of mockery and contempt.
"With this kind of sluggish movement, you actually managed to save Sabito from my hands... It seems catching Urokodaki's Disciple really made me lose myself in joy!"
The Hand Demon grinned hideously, and countless wriggling arms instantly erupted from its body, entangling like wild vines and turning into a mass of giant fist-shadows that smashed down fiercely toward the charging Ryuji!
"Die, brat! Die in the pain of despair!"
Ryuji didn't dodge or evade; he simply swung his twin blades at high speed, the blade-light weaving into a dense, airtight net that severed all the arms shooting toward him.
"Ha, you have some skill..."
A hint of surprise entered the Hand Demon's scoff, but it was immediately replaced by deeper arrogance. "But you want to slay me with just this bit of mediocre skill? I am a powerhouse who has devoured thirty-eight swordsmen!"
It roared, and even more arms frantically shot out from its body, covering Ryuji from all directions like a fishing net!
Ryuji brandished his twin blades, advancing steadily through the tide of arms.
He knew in his heart that, just like in the story, no matter how many were cut off, these arms could regenerate infinitely.
In that case... the ambush from underground should be coming soon.
"Hahaha! You fell for it! Idiot!"
Seeing Ryuji step close to where its arms were hidden, the Hand Demon erupted in ear-splitting wild laughter. That laughter was full of the pride and cruelty of a successful scheme:
"In your next life, remember to practice your speed first! Be crushed to pieces for me... Wha-What?!"