"Mr. Tomioka, while I respect you greatly, could you please put your clothes on properly first?"
"Can't get them to fit."
"…"
In the forest at dawn, the air was so fresh it made one want to take a deep breath. But at the moment, the two people sitting under a tree were in anything but a good mood.
To be precise, they were two people who had turned into women.
Tomioka Giyuu looked down at his chest.
The Demon Slayer Corps uniform that used to fit him perfectly now felt like it was trying to strangle him.
The two extra lumps of flesh on his chest were simply too much of a hindrance. If he moved his arms even slightly, the golden buttons would let out pitiful creaks, as if they might shoot off like bullets at any moment.
He was now a woman.
Sitting opposite him was Tokito Muichiro.
This kid, at least, didn't have that much extra flesh.
But his current appearance… was even more devastating.
His originally seaweed-like long hair had turned into smooth twin tails, the ends still that pleasant mint green. He had become even more petite than before, his skin so fair it seemed to glow, and his eyelashes were captivating.
If Tomioka Giyuu was a mature ice queen, then Tokito Muichiro was the source of all crimes committed by lolicon enthusiasts worldwide.
"That demon, I definitely cut its neck," Muichiro said in an extremely cute loli voice, though his tone remained as indifferent as ever. "Why are we still changed?"
He tried to stand up, but his legs went weak, and he nearly fell.
"My center of gravity has changed," Muichiro frowned. "Legs feel weak."
"Me too," Giyuu attempted to pull his open collar together, but it was futile. "It sways when walking. Very uncomfortable."
"Mr. Tomioka."
"Yeah?"
"The way you look now, if you went to Yoshiwara, you could probably be the top attraction."
"...I have no money."
"I meant you could earn money."
"Oh." Giyuu nodded expressionlessly. "But I still want to be the Water Hashira."
The two stared at each other for a moment.
Muichiro sighed, tucking the long hair that had fallen beside his face behind his ear—an action performed by a beautiful girl, with devastating effect.
"Let's return to headquarters," Muichiro said, standing up and patting the hem of his pants—which, due to his shrunken body, looked wide and almost like culottes. "Let Kocho take a look. She's always fiddling with those bottles and jars; she should have a solution."
"That's all we can do."
Giyuu also stood up.
"Pop!"
A crisp sound.
The top button of Giyuu's uniform, finally overwhelmed, shot off like a golden bullet.
"Thump!"
The button accurately struck Muichiro squarely on the forehead.
"Ouch." Muichiro covered his forehead, tears nearly welling up. "Tomioka Giyuu, are you looking for a fight?"
"Sorry," Giyuu looked at his now completely open collar, revealing a dazzling expanse of pale skin. "It was an accident. Its trajectory is beyond my control."
"Wrap your haori tighter," Muichiro glanced at him disdainfully. "You look like a perverted exhibitionist right now."
"It's just a problem of insufficient fabric."
"It's a problem of you having too much flesh."
And so, two绝世beauties (with male interiors) walked out of the forest one behind the other, their postures awkward.
...
On the way to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, the journey was far from peaceful.
The biggest obstacle wasn't demons—it was people.
"Kyaaaaaa—!!!"
A piercing shriek split the sky.
A yellow bolt of lightning rushed over at the fastest speed possible, kicking up a trail of dust.
"Beautiful women! Is that the scent of beautiful women?! My nose detects it! This mature big-sister aroma, and this sweet little-sister scent! Aaaaah, have I died? Is this heaven?"
Agatsuma Zenitsu, with snot and tears streaming down his face, slid over on his knees, coming to an accurate stop right in front of the two.
He first looked at Muichiro.
"Wuwuwu so cute! Little sister, how old are you? Do you want some candy? You look cold and aloof but you're so adorable! Could you scold me? Please!"
Then he looked at Giyuu.
That one look made blood spurt directly from his nose.
"Pfft—!!"
Giyuu looked down at Zenitsu from above.
Those deep blue eyes, now slightly upturned at the corners due to becoming female, carried an innate allure. But he himself was completely unaware, merely looking at Zenitsu with an expression as if viewing trash.
"Zenitsu," Giyuu spoke. His voice had turned into a mature woman's, but his tone was still that deadpan one. "Move. You're blocking the way."
Zenitsu froze.
This voice… it sounded pleasant, but this way of speaking, why did it sound so familiar?
And that haori with a very recognizable pattern…
Zenitsu's infatuated expression stiffened, slowly turning into horror.
"Um… miss, do you know me?"
"I am Tomioka Giyuu," Giyuu said calmly.
Everything around them fell silent.
A breeze blew by, sweeping up a few dried leaves.
Zenitsu's eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets. He looked at Giyuu's stunningly beautiful face, then at that犯规 figure and chest, then recalled all the lewd thoughts he'd just had in his mind.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH—!!!"
Zenitsu let out a scream more horrifying than a slaughtered pig, rolled his eyes back, foamed at the mouth, and fainted directly from fright.
"So noisy," Muichiro kicked Zenitsu's foot. "Let's go."
"This kid's health is really poor," Giyuu remarked. "He collapsed before even being hit by a demon."
Finally, the two dragged their heavy steps (mainly Giyuu felt heavy) and arrived at the Ubuyashiki estate.
As it happened, there was a Hashira meeting today.
The main gate was wide open.
"Even though Oyakata-sama is unwell, there's some intel about that newly appeared Upper Rank demon…" Shinazugawa Sanemi was sitting imposingly on the veranda, wiping his sword with a fierce expression. "Hey, what's that strange fragrance?"
Rengoku Kyojuro said loudly, "Umu! Indeed there is! It smells like flowers, and also like some delicious sweets!"
Uzui Tengen stroked his chin, "This doesn't smell like Kocho's medicinal scent. This fragrance… it's quite华丽."
Just then, two figures appeared at the entrance.
All the Hashira turned to look.
Then, the entire room petrified.
Walking behind was an exquisite, doll-like twin-tailed girl. Wearing an expression that screamed "I'm not happy" and "I want to go home," she was tugging at the sleeve of the beauty in front.
"That's…" Kanroji Mitsuri covered her mouth, her face flushing. "That's Mr. Tomioka's haori… That's… That's Mr. Tomioka?!"
"Hah?!" Shinazugawa Sanemi almost dropped the sword in his hand.
He stood up abruptly, eyes wide, staring intently at the "black-haired beauty" at the entrance.
"Tomioka?! You bastard… What the hell are you doing?!"
Sanemi's voice trembled.
He didn't want to admit it.
Absolutely refused to admit it.
Just a moment ago, the first time he laid eyes on that woman at the entrance, his heart had shamelessly skipped a beat.
That Tomioka Giyuu, whom he detested to the point of itching his teeth, after turning into a woman, actually perfectly aligned with his aesthetic preferences?
This was too disgusting! Too horrifying!
Giyuu, looking at everyone's reactions, felt somewhat puzzled.
He thought aside from his chest being heavier and his walk a bit more wobbly, he wasn't much different from before. Why did everyone look as if they'd seen a ghost?
"It's Shinazugawa," Giyuu nodded, using that cool, mature female voice. "I need to see Kocho. That demon wasn't completely dead. This is a Blood Demon Art."
Sanemi felt that voice, soft and light, drilling straight into his ears, making all his hairs stand on end and inexplicably stirring up a surge of火.
He turned his head away, grabbing his hair暴躁ly, "Don't call my name with that voice! It's disgusting! Are you a pervert?!"
"I am not," Giyuu反驳ed seriously. "I'm a victim."
"Ara~"
Kocho Shinobu walked out, smiling.
Seeing Giyuu's current appearance, the smile at the corner of her mouth turned playful and dangerous.
She walked up to Giyuu, rising on tiptoe—oh, wait, not needed now. Even as a woman, Giyuu was still quite tall, just slightly shorter than before.
Shinobu reached out and poked at Giyuu's dangerously loose collar.