Chapter 4 — Slash
"Three-Sword Style: Tiger Hunt!!"
With a furious roar from Roronoa Zoro, a sword pressure powerful enough to shake the very air erupted.
This wasn't an elemental effect from breathing techniques, but pure physical destructive force. The air seemed to be compressed to its limit in that instant, and then exploded violently.
The countless arms that the Hand Demon was so proud of, layered like armor protecting his neck, appeared so fragile in the face of this attack.
"Pfft—!!"
With a teeth-grinding tearing sound, a huge gap was violently ripped open in the originally airtight defensive net.
Limbs flew everywhere, and foul blood splattered like a fountain onto the surrounding tree trunks. The Hand Demon let out a terrified scream, and for the first time, its bloodshot eyes, hidden deep within, revealed utter despair.
"Impossible! Impossible! How could a mere human swordsman possess such monstrous strength?! My hands... my Handsss!!!"
In that brief moment when the old forces had not yet dissipated and the new forces had not yet emerged, a cold and chilling aura suddenly entered this blood-soaked battlefield.
It had a pure, mountain spring-like flavor.
Zenitsu, who was hiding behind a rock in the distance, suddenly twitched his ears.
"That was... such a gentle voice...like flowing water..."
At the same time, a lithe figure leaped high from the treetops on the side; it was a boy with a scar on his forehead and flower-shaped earrings.
As he wandered through the woods, he could already smell the strong "smell of sadness" and the nauseating stench of evil spirits.
When he burst out of the bushes, what came into view was a breathtaking scene: a green-haired, three-sword style swordsman was shattering the giant alien monster's defenses with a wild and unrestrained manner.
Just as the Hand Demon's defenses collapsed, Tanjiro caught a fleeting whiff of that "scent" with the tip of his nose.
That was the line connecting the demon's neck to his own blade—the "Gap Line".
"I see it!"
Tanjiro's eyes narrowed, and he forcefully twisted his waist in mid-air, the black Nichirin Blade in his hand drawing a beautiful blue arc in the air. With his breath, the surrounding water vapor seemed to be drawn in, condensing into a rushing stream around his blade.
"Total Concentration: Water Breathing!"
Zoro was just about to adjust his stance to finish off the enemy when he caught a glimpse of a dazzling blue color out of the corner of his eye.
"Huh? Water?"
Zoro's one eye widened slightly. In his vision, the boy who had suddenly barged in seemed to be carrying a blue water dragon, cutting into the battlefield from the side.
That feeling... is somewhat similar to Jinbe's water combat techniques, but not quite the same.
"First Form: Water Surface Slash!!"
Tanjiro's figure was like a ripple breaking the surface of the water, using the "path" opened by Zoro to accurately slash at the exposed, thick neck of the Hand Demon.
This strike embodies the culmination of his two years of arduous training at Mount Sagiri, and carries his determination to avenge the deaths of Sabito, Makomo, and all the victims.
"Whoosh—!"
This time, there were no obstacles.
The Nichirin Blade, imbued with the power of the sun, slid across the Hand Demon's neck as easily as a hot knife through butter.
The enormous, ugly, and ferocious head, with an expression of disbelief, slowly detached from the body and flew into the air.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
The Hand Demon's spinning head looked at its disintegrating body in the air, as well as the boy wearing the tengu mask (Tanjiro was not wearing a mask at this time, but Urokodaki's figure overlapped in the Hand Demon's illusion) and the three-sword style swordsman who was like a demon god.
"I... I was beheaded? By that demon hunter's brat... and that green monster..."
The enormous head crashed heavily to the ground, rolled a few times, and came to rest at Zoro's feet.
Zoro sheathed his sword with a crisp "clatter," glanced down at the demon head at his feet, and then at Tanjiro, who had landed steadily.
"Hey, you brat with the earring."
Zoro's voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of annoyance at being interrupted.
Tanjiro had just finished his kill and was still catching his breath when he heard the sound. He immediately turned around, gripping his sword politely but warily.
"Ah! Thank you so much for your help! If you hadn't broken through its defenses, I probably wouldn't have been able to sever its neck so easily!"
Tanjiro bowed deeply to Zoro, his attitude so sincere that no one could find fault with him.
Zoro raised an eyebrow, but the words he was about to say were choked back. This guy... how come he's so polite?
"Tch, mind your own business. That level of defense, I could break it with one more strike."
Zoro crossed his arms, his gaze falling on Tanjiro's sword, then glancing at the lingering illusion of water vapor around Tanjiro.
"Compared to this, what was that just now? Magic? Or a Devil Fruit user?"
Tanjiro looked completely bewildered.
"Huh? A Devil Fruit...? Um... this is Water Breathing, a sword style taught to me by my master Urokodaki Sakonji..."
"Breathing?" Zoro frowned. "Breathing can conjure water? The swordsmanship in this world is really flashy."
At that moment, Zenitsu, who was in the distance, finally realized that it was safe and ran over, scrambling and tumbling, and grabbed Tanjiro's leg.
"!! Great! Finally, someone my age! I was so scared just now! That monster had so many arms! I thought I was going to die!"
"It's alright, it's alright." Tanjiro gently patted Zenitsu's back, then looked at the Hand Demon that was gradually turning to ashes.
At this moment, the Hand Demon's body was rapidly disintegrating, and tears streamed from its eyes.
In its final moments, it seemed to recall memories of its past as a human, the longing for the warmth of its brother's hand...
The sharpness in Tanjiro's eyes disappeared, replaced by a sense of compassion.
He slowly walked to the head of the Hand Demon and gently grasped the huge hand that still retained some warmth.
"God, please let this person not be a demon in their next life."
Seeing this extremely "gentle" scene, Zoro leaned against the tree trunk, his eyes becoming somewhat profound.
"So merciful to the enemy... What a strange fellow."
Although he said that, Zoro did not stop him. As a man who had seen countless pirate battles on the high seas, he did not dislike people with firm beliefs.
Suddenly, Zoro's stomach let out another earth-shattering roar—
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle—!!"
The sound was particularly abrupt in the quiet forest, even drowning out the sound of the wind when the hand demon disappeared.
Tanjiro and Zenitsu both turned to look at Zoro.
Zoro remained unfazed and calmly pointed at Tanjiro.
"Hey, since you stole my prey, you should have some food on you, right? Even just rice balls will do. Take them out."
Tanjiro paused for a moment, then revealed a warm smile like the sun, and took out two rice balls wrapped in leaves from his pocket.
"Yes! This was prepared for me by Master Urokodaki. It's cold, but it's still delicious! Please enjoy!"
Zoro took it without hesitation and took a big bite.
"Hmm... no alcohol, but it's enough to fill my stomach."
And so, in the dead of night on Fujikasake Mountain, a lost swordsman from another world, a gentle vengeful boy, and a cowardly crybaby formed a strange trio.