Chapter 42: Chasing and intercepting (Part 2)

"Yes! Is Giyu still conscious?"

On the way to the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers, Kyojuro held the reins of two horses at the same time, with bright eyes, looking straight at the muddy and bumpy road ahead, planning the fastest but least bumpy route, while also Don't forget to care about what's going on in the "carriage".

"Lord Giyu is still awake! He's eating!"

Kaname replied hoarsely, with a somewhat surprised tone.

"Awesome! Well done!"

Kyojuro's voice reached the rear compartment, and he didn't know who he was praising.

Giyu slowly swallowed the long loaf of bread, not to relieve hunger, but to dispel the numbness in his mouth, keep his body in a stimulated and active state as much as possible, replenish his physical strength and create some usable chakra.

The Flame Breathing's movement before was not his intention, but thinking about it, he knew that if Rain Ninja heard that kind of sound, he would never let them run out of the country easily.

So he must be clear-headed and fight alongside Kyojuro. Although he felt that Kyojuro must be stronger than him, this was Amegakure, and he will be more effective than Kyojuro.

"If you see me closing my eyes, peck me on the forehead."

Giyu looked at Kaname with a strange look - why didn't he have a crow?

"clear!"

Kyojuro's crow is just like him, every sentence must end with an exclamation mark.

Giyu lifted up the oilcloth and looked at the rapidly reversing scenery outside the cart window and the fleeting figures in the forest, his face darkened slightly. He did not remind Kyojuro, because if he could see those people, then Kyojuro would also be able to see them.

The opponent has not launched an attack yet. He probably knew that this cart might be a precious experimental subject, so he was just throwing a trap.

[You have to prepare for the worst. 】

He turned his attention to the children sleeping quietly in the car, searching for the toxin absorption in their bodies and whether the poison sacs were overloaded. But what he didn't expect was that as soon as he turned his head, he met a pair of amber eyes filled with tears.

It is the Ajisai who is best adapted to the venom sac of the Sanshōuo.

She had already gotten rid of the paralysis of the toxin in the laboratory before, and the toxic substances in her body had been completely absorbed. The poison sac in her body is her only hidden danger at the moment.

"when will you……"

Halfway through Giyu's words, the blood from the wound on his head flowed from the corner of his eye, and his voice stopped abruptly.

"Just now when the cart was bumpy."

Ajisai stood up, supported her weight with her arms, and sat against the carport, her tears never falling.

The color of her eyes, like that of a big cat, made her look less pitiful and more resolute, completely different from the frightened look that Giyu had when he saw her two days ago. I don’t know what she went through before she was captured...

"I remember you. Did you and your brother save me? But his voice doesn't sound like him."

Of course she was talking about Driving Kyojuro.

"It was another man who saved us all. I didn't do anything..."

The more Giyu looked at Ajisai's expression, the more familiar it became.

He expected the child to wail in mourning for her grandmother, but she didn't, clearly trying to suppress the bad memories. It seems that as long as you don't think about it, it never happened.

"No matter what, thank you."

Ajisai lowered her head, her voice was hollow and cold, not because of the joy of escaping a disaster, nor the fear of the unknown future, as if something had completely died.

"...Do me a favor."

Giyu sighed.

Ajisai looked at his bleeding knees, and a trace of overwhelmed nervousness flashed in her eyes. She didn't know how to help people deal with their injuries, and...she could see the bones.

"Use the blood in the carriage to help me write some numbers on other people's wrists."

Through the gaps in the oilcloth, Giyu noticed that there were more and more figures near the cart, but there were still only a few people who could keep up.

After putting down the oilcloth, he glanced at kaname.

"These numbers represent the number of days it takes for the toxins in their bodies to be completely absorbed. If the doctor cannot detoxify, the poison sac must be removed after all the toxins have been absorbed."

"I see!"

Kaname nodded and didn't ask stupid questions like "Why are you telling me this?"

"Can you?"

Turning his eyes back to Ajisai's face, Giyu spoke more than usual.

"They all have similar experiences to you, but their adaptability to the toxicity of Sanshōuo is far less than yours. If you make this mark, you may be able to save their lives. Now, only you can do it in the carriage."

Ajisai's body trembled slightly.

【Save their lives? 】

【...Me? 】

What Giyu is doing is similar to what he did to Tanjiro back then.

He hopes to transform this child from the role of victim to the role of protector.

The more helpless a person is, the more he should know that at least he still has the power to do something for those who are more helpless than him. When people become the most powerful among a group of weaklings, they often realize that their abilities are not insignificant, but precious.

"...Then, what should I do?"

Ajisai took a deep breath, quickly swiped at the pool of blood beside Giyu's leg with her fingertips, and then asked in a trembling voice, like a student preparing for an exam.

"Write a '1' on that kid's wrist."

Giyu pointed at a girl, and then said to Kaname: "Her condition is the most stable, and the toxin will be completely eliminated in one day."

"That boy over there is '7'. The poison sac in his body is in danger of exploding…"

"And him, it's '3'. The other one, it's '6'..."

In this way, under Giyu's remote control, Ajisai completed the task, but as if she had run ten kilometers in one breath, she sat exhausted and gasped for air. Her body temperature was already much higher than before, and her heart and blood had also returned to warmth.

　 Kaname has also learned about the physical conditions of all the children.

"Besides this...is there anything else I can do to help?"

Ajisai calmed down and asked softly.

It seems that through what just happened, she has discovered the role she can play.

Rengoku Kyojuro, who was driving, laughed and was happy for the girl cheering her up.

He cannot see innocent people being harmed, but Giyu is slightly different from him. He especially cannot see others being weak. No other Hashira can compare with Giyu in terms of making others strong quickly.

"What an enviable talent!"

While Kyojuro loudly praised, his golden-red eyes looked around both sides of the road like an owl.

Not far ahead is the looming border checkpoint of the Kingdom of Rain. If the other party wants to take action, it is now.

Sure enough, after the carriage ran less than twenty meters, Kyojuro lowered his eyebrows and shouted: "Be careful!"

It was a sharp sound that tore through the air, like a wicker flying past a person's ear. The sound grew louder and nearer to the oilcloth carriage.

"Get down!"

Giyu made a two-finger gesture to Ajisai, but the latter was frightened by the terrible movement and didn't understand what happened.

Fortunately, Kyojuro's crow reacted quickly, spread its wings and fluttered on Ajisai's shoulder, causing her to scream and fall in the carriage.

Almost at the same time, two giant shurikens more than one meter wide, one on the left and one on the right, fiercely and brutally scraped open the oilcloth roof supporting the carriage.

At this moment, the carriage that originally had a tarpaulin roof suddenly became a convertible. The content inside is also exposed to outsiders.

"They are all brats, they are experimental subjects!"

Giyu heard someone calling and looked closely. It was a green-haired ninja chasing the carriage, carrying a giant shuriken exactly like the one before.

"Stop the carriage in front of the checkpoint! Try not to harm the experimental subject!"

A loud shout came from further behind, it was a middle-aged man full of energy.

"yes!"

Nearly twenty shouts came from the surrounding woods.

They no longer hid their figures, and came to the stage from behind the scenes one by one. Targeting the horses and Kyojuro, they threw out a variety of almost overwhelming ninja tools, but avoided the carriage itself!

The air around Kyojuro was distorted by the high temperature. As he swung his sword violently, all the ninjas from both sides were swept away by the high-temperature airflow created by the blade, but their speed was not much slower than when they flew in. Many rain ninjas were hit on the spot, screamed in agony, fell to death in the forest, and left the team.

It's also the Flame Breathing, but his physical skills alone are already so powerful, far beyond imagination.

But the green-haired ninja who was chasing behind took the opportunity to throw another giant shuriken, and Kyojuro could not avoid it!

At the critical moment, Giyu stretched out a long water blade from his hand, accurately penetrated the ring of the giant shuriken, stopped it, and used the water flow to change the direction of the shuriken's rotation, leaving the shuriken intact. It was thrown back, and its potential energy increased instead of decreasing!

The green-haired ninja didn't expect this turn of events, so he had to stop and use Earth Release: Earth Wall to resist. Only then did he escape from being cut in half by his own shuriken! But then, his pursuit was interrupted.

"Thrilling! What a thrill!"

Kyojuro continued driving. Giyu looked intently and saw a narrow river crossing ahead, and then two hundred meters further, the checkpoint was located.

Just when he lowered his head and was about to check the situation of these children again, Giyu found that Ajisai was staring at the back of the carriage with anger in her eyes, tears flowing down uncontrollably, as if painful memories had been activated.

"What’s wrong with you?"

"That voice just now!"

Ajisai's tone was a little hoarse.

"That's that person, he's Sanshouo no Koga! It's him who came out of Amegakure Village and forced grandma and I to drink poisonous mushroom tea!"

"Are you sure?"

"Sure!"

Ajisai gritted her teeth and said, "I will never forget that sound until I die!"

Giyu knew that the Sanshouo no Koga whom Ajisai was talking about was probably the one who ordered them to be stopped, and was also the initiator of this poison sac transplant experiment.

The reason why he forced Ajisai to take poison was probably to test her resistance to toxins and then consider whether to take her back as a test subject.

This kind of selection method that disregards human life is certainly convenient, but it can no longer be described as rampant and cruel.

"One day, I will kill him with my own hands!"

Listening to Ajisai's declaration, Giyu remained silent and did not speak.

The carriage has crossed the creek and will leave the country soon. These children might escape, and Sanshouo no Koga might continue to catch other children to continue the experiment; perhaps, he would rely on the power of the rain ninja to chase them directly to the Land of Rivers, which he had done before.

[Wait until they are settled and their injuries healed, then come back and deal with him completely? 】

[But if this happens, how many people will die...]

Just as Giyu was thinking about countermeasures, a sudden change occurred.

Several kunai flew out of the forest again, but their target was no longer the carriage, but the only way the carriage must pass.

Behind each kunai, there are white tags tied to it!

"Trouble!"

Kyojuro tried his best to control the horse to avoid it, but several explosive tags exploded at the same time. The horse was still frightened and stood up tall, flying out with all the people in the carriage. The stopped horse was also attacked by subsequent attacks. 

On the way to being thrown away, Giyu held the Ajisai closest to him in his hand, and a wide whip of water flow flew out of his hand, binding the other six children in the air together, and then threw them towards Rengoku Kyojuro.

Then Giyu shot a water blade, piercing the two rain ninjas who broke out of the jungle. The other three were knocked down at the same time by Kyojuro's ,Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun.

"Got it!"

After Kyojuro caught the six children, he looked at Giyu who was lying on the ground, unable to move, from a distance of seven or eight meters.

And more rain ninjas have appeared not far behind Giyu, and they are about to catch up with them.

【Let’s go. 】

Giyu stood up despite the heavy rain and gave the Demon Slayer's signal gesture.

[We have a way out. 】

If Kyojuro doesn't leave now, everyone will be in dire straits.

Even though Kyojuro is very strong, the more people he brings, the slower his movement speed will be, and the more likely it is that everyone will be annihilated.

"I understand! Giyu!"

Kyojuro is also very aware of the current situation and the dangers that Giyu may face. But as the same Hashira, the lives of ordinary people take priority, and he truly believes in Giyu's judgment. That firm look in his eyes is enough to explain everything.

The Water Hashira may be confused in his heart, but his mind is always the clearest.

"I'll be back as soon as I get them settled!"

After saying that, Kyojuro no longer hesitated, picked up the six children who were bundled together by the water on his back, and rushed towards the checkpoint with all his strength. The speed was actually a few minutes faster than the carriage.

"I have a plan. Don't despair."

Giyu looked at the pale Ajisai on the side, and used the water blade to make a thin cross incision on the left side of his abdomen, just like those children who were implanted with poison sacs.

"Remember to watch my gestures."

Without saying much, he immediately closed his eyes and used his transparent micro-manipulation ability to slow down his vital signs to the extreme.

Ajisai sat in the rain in a daze, and less than three seconds later, she was surrounded by the rain ninja who were chasing her.

"You continue to chase. If you encounter ninjas from the Kingdom of Rivers, kill all those experimental subjects."

A familiar voice appeared, and Ajisai turned her head numbly. A middle-aged man with white hair in his forties appeared next to them, looking at her eagerly.

It is Sanshouo no Koga.

"Anyway, the best one among them is here, and the life and death of the others is not that important."

"yes!"

Most of the rain ninja continued to chase, leaving only Sanshouo no Koga and the two guards to stay where they were.

"What happened to this kid? How did he get hurt like this?"

One of the guards asked suspiciously, lifting the hem of Giyu's clothes, "The Sowrd edge of the experiment was cracked, and the person is no longer breathing. He should have died of excessive blood loss. Sir, what should I do?"

"It doesn't matter. As long as she's okay."

Sanshouo no Koga slowly squatted down and looked at Ajisai as if he were his own daughter.

Being able to get rid of the paralysis effect of the poisonous gas so quickly means that Ajisai is the most likely to inherit his father's name among all the experimental subjects, and is worth more than half of the people in the Rain Country combined.

He even wanted to reach out and touch her hair, but the girl looked at him hatefully, but did not move back.

Just when Sanshouo no Koga leaned forward and planned to get closer to her, Ajisai saw Giyu's fingers and made a "press down" movement again, so she suddenly woke up and lay on the ground.

Giyu opened his eyes, put his left hand on the ground, and the water blade on the fingertips of his right hand formed instantly, and rotated with his body, like a hip-hop dancer, completing a rapid circular cut.

"Second Form: Water Wheel!"

The zigzag circular water blade suddenly bloomed, and then blood splashed everywhere. After one squat and two stops, the three bodies had been cut in half. When they fell down, their rapidly dilating pupils were still staring ahead in disbelief.

The great wheel of water did not dissipate.

Giyu grabbed Ajisai's wrist with force, stretched out a blue tie, tightly grabbed the advancing wheel, and was dragged into the small river not far away, and soon disappeared.