Ishida found himself standing on the familiar path where his journey had begun. He had grown so much stronger since then, conquering formidable foes to reach this near-final stage of his quest. Yet now, he faced a new challenge...
The sixth adversary appeared—Kaede, a human and former Wind Hashira from the Demon Slayer Corps.
"You're still not going to attack, are you?" Kaede observed, even though it wasn't necessary to point out. Ishida was still reluctant to do more than just defend against her sword strikes.
"I can't... I mean, you're..."
"I'm what? Human?" she replied with a slight laugh. "What will you do on a battlefield if a teammate turns against you? Would you hesitate then? Let me tell you," she paused briefly before launching another assault, "If you act like that..." With remarkable speed and accuracy, she closed the distance between them. Ishida, overwhelmed with uncertainty and doubt, somehow managed to raise his sword just in time to block her attack. However, the sheer force of her strike sent him sliding back nearly six or seven feet. "...You'll end up getting yourself killed."
Before Ishida could react, Kaede's lips curled into a subtle smirk. "Wind Breathing Second Form: Claws-Purifying Wind," she murmured, her voice capable of sending shivers down anyone's spine. She raised her sword and slashed it downward in front of her, closing the distance with four vertical strikes aimed at Ishida. He managed to block the first three with his quick reflexes, but the fourth cut struck his right arm. Blood began to drip immediately, pooling on the ground as he let out a faint gasp and fell to his knees, clutching his wounded arm.
[HP : 1215/1400]
[Fatigue : 37]
"I told you, holding back will only get you killed," Kaede remarked, maintaining her distance from Ishida. "And it's tough to fight at full strength when your opponent is holding back. There's no thrill in winning that kind of battle, you know."
Ishida glanced down briefly before gripping his sword tightly in his left hand. "I need to find a way through this, and I must do it without killing her," he thought as he stood up, meeting her gaze directly. "...And I need to do it fast," he said, raising his voice for the last part.
For a fraction of a second, surprise flickered across her face before it transformed into a subtle smirk. "Get a grip on yourself now. Underestimating your opponent won't get you anywhere. You should have learned that by now."
"Let me ask you then..." Ishida began, his face and tone serious, "Who is this person you're all talking about? What are his motives?"
"You ask too many questions for someone who can't even properly wield his own sword," Kaede replied with a slight shake of her head, her eyes briefly flickering to Ishida's blade. "A swordsman's weapon is their soul, their life, their everything. Yet here you stand, questioning things while barely understanding the very tool in your hands." She raised her own sword, letting the blade catch the light. "Every sword has its own story, its own purpose. Some are meant to protect, some to destroy... and some," she paused meaningfully, "carry far more weight than their wielders realize."
"Wait... What!?" Ishida muttered, trying to process everything Kaede had just revealed. "What do you mean by...? Is there something about these swords that—" he began to ask, stepping forward in curiosity.
"Tch," Kaede interrupted sharply, her expression hardening as she realized she'd revealed too much. "Speech is silver, silence is gold, young swordsman. I've already said more than I should." She adjusted her stance, lifting her blade once more. "Shall we let our swords do the talking now?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she disappeared from her spot, reappearing beside Ishida with incredible speed.
"Wind Breathing Eighth Form: Primary Gale Slash!" Kaede declared as she soared into the air, her sword catching the light as she swung it downward. Circular torrents of wind spiraled around her blade, aiming directly at Ishida. His eyes widened as he sensed the impending attack from above. In that fleeting moment, he realized he had only one opportunity. "Moon Breathing Fifth Form," he whispered almost inaudibly, gripping his sword tighter, "Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy!"
The two techniques collided in a breathtaking display of power. Kaede's wind torrents met Ishida's whirling vortex of moonlight, resulting in a fierce blend of wind and lunar energy. Ishida's defensive technique formed a protective barrier around him, successfully blocking her assault while simultaneously generating a vortex of moonlight that counterattacked her defenses. Before it could make contact, Kaede leaped aside, putting distance between herself and Ishida once more.
[HP : 1210/1400]
[Fatigue : 43]
"Why did you back off?" Ishida asked with a slight smirk. "You were underestimating me, weren't you?"
"Don't get cocky just because you countered one attack," Kaede retorted, though amusement laced her voice. "Besides, a wise warrior knows when to create distance."
"Or maybe," Ishida continued, maintaining his stance with growing confidence, "you realized I'm not as weak as you thought."
Kaede raised an eyebrow, "Oh? And here I thought you were too busy worrying about not hurting me to actually fight properly." She twirled her sword with ease. "Though I must admit, that was a decent counter."
"I still won't kill you," Ishida declared firmly, "but that doesn't mean I can't fight."
"Big words," Kaede's eyes narrowed slightly, her smile unwavering. "But words mean nothing if—"
Before she could finish, Ishida surged forward. "Let's speak less, as you said earlier. Keep your words," he said, closing the distance with his speed. He whispered, "Moon Breathing, Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains," as his sword created crescent slashes that formed an interconnected chain pattern, three in total, moving swiftly toward her.
Her expression shifted to a slight smile before she announced, "Wind Breathing, Third Form: Clear Storm Wind Tree." As she spoke, she unleashed a whirlwind of slashes around her body. Ishida's crescent-shaped chain slashes collided with her whirlwind, creating a significant impact. The first two chain-patterned slashes dissipated against the defensive barrier of wind. However, the third slash, fueled by the momentum of the previous two, managed to penetrate the weakened whirlwind. The crescent-shaped attack grazed Kaede's left shoulder, causing her to wince slightly as she leaped back, once again putting distance between them.
A thin line of blood appeared on Kaede's shoulder, and she touched the wound with her free hand. "Hmph," she uttered softly, a mix of surprise and approval in her tone. "So, you can attack after all. Though..." her eyes narrowed slightly, analyzing Ishida's stance, "you aimed that slash intentionally where it wouldn't be fatal."
"I told you," Ishida replied, holding his battle stance firm, "I won't kill you, but I will fight you seriously."
"Well, well," Kaede's smile returned, but there was a sharper edge to it now. "Perhaps it's time I stop holding back as well." She adjusted her stance, positioning her blade parallel to the ground.
Ishida tightened his grip on his sword, determination flashing in his eyes. "Then show me... show me what a former Wind Hashira can really do."