Demon Slayer: Start With Heroic Spirit Legacy System

Outside the Temple

"Demon Slayer Corps, newly appointed Water Hashira, Zhou Yi."

"The Master sent me here, saying I'd understand once I arrived."

Zhou Yi's demeanor had shifted entirely, now appearing respectful and obedient.

This stark contrast infuriated Yushiro, who stood nearby.

"How dare this guy stand so close to Lady Tamayo!"

Yushiro completely ignored Zhou Yi's title as a Water Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. His overwhelming jealousy blinded him.

"Lady Tamayo! Stay away from this guy! Demon Slayers are not our allies!"

Yushiro positioned himself between the two, shielding Tamayo from Zhou Yi.

"Yushiro, Zhou Yi didn't mean any harm. Earlier, he only used the back of his blade against me," Tamayo calmly explained.

When Yushiro heard that Lady Tamayo was actually speaking on behalf of this man, he couldn't help but grow suspicious.

"Could it be that Lady Tamayo has been bewitched by this Zhou Yi?" Yushiro had to wonder.

After all, the man before him did have some charm—at least, he was good-looking.

"Lady Tamayo is right. I truly mean no harm," Zhou Yi explained calmly.

"You liar! That killing intent you just showed didn't seem like a joke!"

"Yushiro!"

"Lady Tamayo!"

For a moment, the atmosphere grew tense and awkward.

Seeing this, Zhou Yi couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Haha! You two are quite amusing!"

"I feel like there's some misunderstanding here, Mr. Yushiro. Allow me to reintroduce myself."

"Zhou Yi, 12 years old, the Water Hashira. The person I like is my senior sister."

"Twelve?"

Tamayo's usually calm and unchanging expression gave way to shock. She hadn't expected the person before her to be only twelve years old.

A Hashira at twelve! She couldn't help but recall Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the man who had once saved her.

"Twelve!"

Hearing this, Yushiro's expression brightened with relief.

"Twelve is great! I'm relieved now."

"And you like your senior sister? Even better!"

Yushiro's attitude did a complete 180, transforming into a beaming smile of pure friendliness.

"Water Hashira! I think there's no misunderstanding between us!"

"Please, this way. I believe you'd be most comfortable maintaining a one-meter distance from Lady Tamayo."

What a quick change of face!

As expected, when it came to matters involving Tamayo, Yushiro could be utterly unreliable.

The tension between the two parties dissipated. Though Tamayo felt helpless about the situation, she didn't mind the outcome.

"Water Hashira, did your Master have any instructions for you on this visit?"

Both parties had nearly forgotten the purpose of Zhou Yi's visit.

"He asked me to send you his regards," Zhou Yi replied truthfully.

Tamayo nodded thoughtfully.

"There's no need for formality. Consider us your friends."

"It's an honor."

"Well then, I won't hold back."

"I'm at your service."

Tamayo voiced her request.

"I need you to collect as much demon blood as possible for me."

Ah, here it was! It seemed Tamayo's research was about to begin in earnest.

Feigning confusion, Zhou Yi asked, "What do you need demon blood for? And are there any specific requirements for the blood?"

Both questions hit the mark.

"I need the blood to study the weaknesses of demons! As for the requirements, the stronger the demon, the better the blood quality."

In Yushiro's eyes, Tamayo, who was always so elegant, now brimmed with hatred, her eyes glowing blood-red.

"Lady Tamayo!" Yushiro immediately intervened.

"Oh! My apologies, I lost my composure. While I've consumed human blood before, I no longer have any desire to do so," Tamayo quickly explained, fearing a misunderstanding with the young Water Hashira.

"Of course!"

Swoosh!

Without hesitation, Zhou Yi drew his blade and sliced off a demon's arm.

"Lady Tamayo! Watch out!" Yushiro shielded her protectively.

Drip, drip. Blood flowed from the smooth cut as the severed limb twitched on the ground before turning to ash and vanishing.

"Hehehe, you found me, huh?"

"Looks like you're pretty sharp for a 12-year-old kid!"

Of course, Zhou Yi hadn't attacked Tamayo. The severed arm belonged to Ren Saburo!

From the moment Zhou Yi had reintroduced himself, Ren Saburo had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

Initially, he thought the two demons and the human would start fighting among themselves.

He had planned to swoop in and reap the benefits afterward.

Who would've thought that these three could coexist peacefully, even reaching an agreement to collaborate?

This was unbelievable... truly a "demon meeting humans" kind of situation!

And that female demon even asked this human to help her collect blood!

Ren Saburo instantly realized—these two demons were after him. Their goal was his blood.

"So, they think I'm weak, huh?"

Being treated like an easy target, Ren Saburo quickly decided to launch a surprise attack.

But to his shock, Zhou Yi thwarted him effortlessly.

A 12-year-old kid, tall as he may be, turned out to be so formidable!

Ren Saburo, having only been a demon for a few months, knew nothing about the Demon Slayer Corps. He even thought he was the only demon in existence.

As for "Water Hashira" and such, those concepts were entirely foreign to him.

"Hey, kid, if you want to leave, I'll let you go!"

Kid?

Who was he talking about?

Zhou Yi glanced at Tamayo. No, she was hundreds of years old—clearly not the "kid" in question.

"I feel like you're thinking something incredibly disrespectful!" Tamayo seemed annoyed.

"No, no! You must have misunderstood!"

Zhou Yi then looked at Yushiro—shorter than himself, with a baby face, and fitting the criteria for a demon.

The "kid" had to be him.

Absolutely.

"What are you looking at? I'm talking about you!" Ren Saburo yelled impatiently.

Zhou Yi's expression immediately darkened.

"Say that again?"

"I said, kid! Get out of here already!"

Ren Saburo, licking the freshly regenerated wrist of his severed arm, was rapidly losing patience.

Fine. Zhou Yi was out of patience too.

"Water Breathing: Modified First Form – Surface Slash Barrage!"

A flurry of blade lights flashed.

Ren Saburo, whole and intact just moments ago, was now sliced into several pieces from top to bottom!

"AAAAHHHHH!!!"

The pain!

It burned, an excruciating, fiery agony that reached his very bones.

The blade was sharp, so there had been no initial pain from the cuts. But the searing, scorching sensation that followed was unbearable.

"What magnificent swordsmanship!"

Tamayo couldn't help but praise.

As someone who had once encountered Yoriichi Tsugikuni, her standards were high.

Yet, the swordsmanship of the boy before her earned her genuine admiration.

"Could it be… that even back then, he was not using his full strength?" Tamayo began to doubt her assumptions.

"Care to say that again?" Zhou Yi's smile at this moment was anything but kind.

As he spoke, he ruthlessly drove his blade into Ren Saburo's mouth.

"%@#…*!" (Translation: I won't dare anymore!) Ren Saburo's upper body remained intact, but he was unable to utter a single coherent word.

"It seems you have some complaints. I suppose I'll have to educate you properly," Zhou Yi said, his voice carrying a chilling undertone. To Ren Saburo, it was as if a whisper from hell had reached his ears, reducing him to tears of terror.

"%…**%... (Translation: Please, I beg you, spare me!)"

Meanwhile, Yushiro stood stiff as a board, barely daring to breathe.

"Lady Tamayo… isn't this Water Hashira more like a demon than an actual demon?"