13 Demon Slayer: Floating Comment

The flash of a blade, as bright as lightning, slashed through the air, blazing with flames. It struck the young girl standing in the doorway.

Her snow-pure face split diagonally, a crimson wound seeping blood that flowed across half of her visage.

"Heh…"

The girl let out a soft chuckle.

Her delicate, pale fingers suddenly grew thick and coarse, the nails sharpening into wicked claws. Her long black hair unfurled, expanding like a dark tide, filling half the room in an instant.

"Oh my, oh my… Such a heartless young man," she cooed, brushing her cheek with a clawed hand. The gash on her face mended instantly, leaving her skin pristine once more. "I was going to let you enjoy some earthly pleasures before eating you… But alas, you're just another crude swordsman with no appreciation for beauty."

Her hair, oily and clumped together, writhed like living tendrils, making Haruto feel sick to his stomach.

This demon—how long had she been here? And how many lives had she devoured? Her aura was nearly on par with the Hand Demon from Mount Fujikasane.

The cramped room gave Haruto little space to maneuver. Escaping outside was dangerous too; it could stir a panic or leave innocent people vulnerable to her hunger.

His brows knit together in frustration as his blade gleamed, slicing through the tendrils of hair that lashed at him.

Each demon's abilities varied based on their unique Blood Demon Art. Some wielded techniques akin to swordsmanship, while others, like this one, had gifts as strange as her iron-hard hair, which clashed against his blade with the sharp clang of metal.

But no matter how tough the hair might seem…

"At the end of the day, it's still just hair," Haruto muttered, firelight flickering in his determined eyes.

The demon's hair surged forward, a black sea seeking to engulf him. It twisted and coiled, encasing Haruto in a cocoon, just as it had with countless victims lured in by her charm.

"Pfft…" she scoffed, exhaling lightly. "What a letdown. All that bravado, and you're just another meal."

Her hair wasn't just a weapon—it was her feeding organ. As it enveloped her prey, countless strands would transform into needle-like appendages, piercing the victim's body and draining their insides. By the time she was done, all that remained was a hollow husk of skin and bone.

But then…

Why did it feel so hot?

Inside the cocoon, the air began to sear. A faint glow seeped through the gaps, accompanied by the acrid stench of burning hair.

With a fierce shout and a burst of firelight, Haruto's blade tore through the cocoon.

"Flame Breathing: Fourth Form – Blooming Flame Undulation!"

The thin blade swept through layer upon layer of black hair, a fiery vortex spiraling from the motion. The flames devoured the strands instantly, racing back toward their source.

"Tch!" The demon grunted, severing her own hair to escape the fire's advance.

The singed strands fell to the ground, burning away as they landed. She scowled, baring sharp teeth.

"A Flame Breather… What a nuisance."

Haruto didn't let up. With a swift step, he leaped into the air, his blade flashing as he cut down the web of hair rushing to entangle him.

Good—his momentum was building. He had to keep pressing the attack!

His white hair danced as he lunged forward, blade gleaming.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The rapid clashes filled the room as hair and blade collided. The demon's once-serene face twisted with rage, veins bulging across her forehead.

"Damn you! Damn you! Damn you, you filthy swordsman!"

She let out a piercing scream, unleashing a storm of hair that rained down like needles, stabbing through the wooden walls and ceiling.

Haruto, already panting, dodged and weaved through the assault. His eyes locked onto the source—the demon herself.

This had to end.

Taking a deep breath, Haruto steadied his blade, the searing heat of his Flame Breathing coursing through his body.

"Flame Breathing: Second Form – Rising Scorching Sun!"

With a roar, he slashed upward. The fiery blade carved through the cascade of black hair, creating a blazing path.

The demon's head flew into the air, spinning before crashing against the wooden window frame and rolling to the floor. Her body collapsed soon after, lifeless.

"Haah… Haah…"

Haruto stood there, panting heavily, every muscle trembling from exhaustion. His grip on the Nichirin blade faltered.

No… This isn't enough.

If this is all it takes to leave me drained… what happens when I face stronger demons?

The Twelve Kizuki, the Upper Moons, the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji…

If I can't even finish a fight like this without collapsing, how am I supposed to protect anyone?

The thought gripped his heart as he watched the demon's severed head smolder and burn.

Then, his eyes widened.

A single word flashed in his mind, vivid and white against the darkness:

DANGER.

What? But the long-haired demon is already dead!

Sweat dripped down his face as he turned toward the open window.

A massive, slimy tentacle burst through, shattering the wooden frame. It coiled around his waist in an instant, lifting him off the ground.

"Damn it—!" Haruto tried to reach for his blade, but his limbs were numb, his body paralyzed.

The tentacle's suction cups had already injected him with poison.

As his vision blurred, Haruto caught sight of his attacker: a monstrous demon with the head of a bull and the body of a colossal octopus.