Episode 287: PRECISELY BECAUSE OUR LIFESPAN IS LIMITED, IT MAKES OUR LIVES ALL THE MORE PRECIOUS!!
『 Akaza extended his hand once more, signaling his invitation.
He desperately wanted Rengoku Kyoujurou to become a demon, so that they could continue their battle for eternity.
It was truly a pity that such a formidable opponent was limited by the fragile life of a human.
He simply couldn't accept it!
"Aging and death only serve to prove the uniqueness of humans."
"It is precisely because life is limited that every person becomes more precious and worthy of respect."
…And so, Kyoujurou answered with these words, declining Akaza's good intentions…
It is precisely because they know their lives are limited that humans create so many miracles.
If one possessed infinite life…
Perhaps these extraordinary achievements would no longer exist.
Before life comes to an end, humans always strive to realize their dreams with all their might.
Demons who live forever simply do not understand this principle.
In Rengoku Kyoujurou's view, immortality is not as attractive as it seems on the surface. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Xingqiu (Genshin Impact): "To be able to show such restraint even when faced with the temptation of immortality." ]
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "Forget it, becoming that kind of monster—I'd rather end it early." ]
[ Tsugikuni Yoriichi (Demon Slayer): "Heh, well said." ]
[ Might Guy (Naruto): "A long lifespan? We may not have that." ]
[ Might Guy (Naruto): "But, WE CAN BECOME STRONGER THROUGH OUR OWN TRAINING!!!" ]
[ .....]
〜Naruto World〜
Konoha Village—
Akaza recovers his own wounds, seemingly without needing to consume any energy; it's truly enviable.
This is the hope of surpassing the strength of the ninja world; in Akaza, one can see the hope of eternal life.
"Ahhh, this is youth! Lee, let's run ten thousand laps! Rengoku Kyoujurou, I, Might Guy, acknowledge your passion! A man as scorching hot as the sun! Keep it up!"
Might Guy was so moved by Rengoku Kyoujurou's passion that he almost opened the Eight Inner Gates.
Almost… he would have died.
—
『 After being rejected by Rengoku Kyoujurou, Akaza activated his Blood Demon Art. Since you refuse to become a demon, I have no choice but to finish you, he said: "Alright then! GET READY!!"
"DESTRUCTIVE DEATH: COMPASS NEEDLE—!!"
In the blink of an eye, symbols resembling ice crystals flashed beneath his feet, erupting with intense upper-rank demon aura!
The two figures collided instantly; the ground cracked open, and countless stone fragments splattered, filling the sky with dust.
In this chaotic scene, the two of them could no longer be seen.
One could only hear the sound of fists and blades clashing, echoing in this silent, uninhabited place.
Deafening sounds continued one after another, blue lightning and crimson flames intertwined and clashed like two serpents.
Akaza did not use any weapons, relying solely on his fists to counter the onslaught of the Nichirin sword.
Look closely; those seemingly fatal wounds were nothing more than… a minor insect bite to a high-ranking demon.
Even if an arm was severed, it would regenerate a new one in just a moment. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "So fast?" ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "It was just cut off, and then a new one grew out immediately?" ]
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "This really is a terrifying monster." ]
[ Tartaglia (Genshin Impact): "A being with this kind of characteristic really is a qualified target; you don't even have to consider your own injuries." ]
[ La Rosalyne-Kruzchka Lohefalter (Genshin Impact): "Oh? You could also obtain this power, possessing this ability~" ]
[ Tartaglia (Genshin Impact): "Forget it, I still want to remain human." ]
[ .....]
〜Bleach World〜
Captain-Commander Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto stared at Rengoku Kyoujurou with fiery eyes, his Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka, emitting a harsh roar.
"Ryujin Jakka… you're excited too, aren't you?"
Although the demons in this world were nothing to him—he could burn them all to ashes with a single wave—for humans with such fragile bodies, encountering these existences whose recovery ability and power far exceeded theirs by dozens of times…
"Ahhh! I really want to go in there and wipe out all these demons!"
Zaraki Kenpachi's entire body erupted with powerful spiritual pressure, his whole person becoming abnormally agitated.
He hadn't fought anyone in two days!
He felt completely uncomfortable!
Seeing this scene, even Unohana, who hadn't fought for a long time, burned with an incomparably intense desire for battle in her eyes; she felt the scar on her chest heating up.
Sitting to the side, Captain of the 6th Division, Kuchiki Byakuya, watched all of this with a serious expression. That woman who once made the Soul Society tremble, Unohana Retsu, is she about to come out of retirement again?
He knew very well how strong Unohana was; if he were to fight her, he would definitely not be an opponent. She was a major figure from the same era as Captain-Commander Yamamoto.
—
〜One Piece World〜
"It's too scary, monsters like this… and there's more than one in that world…"
Buggy trembled in fear, subconsciously biting his finger.
Captain Buggy felt his hair stand on end; his Chop-Chop ability was simply pathetic compared to the regeneration of these monsters.
Meanwhile, in the New World—
"Gurarara, what a force not to be underestimated. To be able to block a sword slash with bare hands without Haki. Rengoku Kyoujurou is truly a magnificent man! It's a pity he isn't with us; otherwise, I would definitely adopt him as my son!"
Whitebeard finished a large mug of old beer with a gulp and said with a laugh.
"Those disgusting guys, if they met my flames, they would surely be burned to ashes!"
Ace's body ignited with flames, looking at Akaza with disgust.
Humans in this world truly don't have it easy.
Using cold weapons to deal with these monsters possessing supernatural abilities… It's just too difficult.
Not to mention, these guys also possess some strange and bizarre abilities.
....
"What a pity… such a powerful swordsman, yet he comes from such a weak world… If he were in our world, he would definitely become a world-renowned swordsman."
Mihawk slowly drew his black blade, a challenging glint in his eyes. Not being able to spar with such a swordsman is truly the greatest regret of this life.
( Translator-kun: Ahem.... excluding Whitebeard, Author-san, are you really sure these characters are from One Piece and not from some Fake Piece? Or you're just glazing too much on Demon Slayer? )
—
『 "DESTRUCTIVE DEATH: AIR TYPE—!"
Akaza leaped into mid-air, his fists gathering terrifying power.
Five or six invisible fist winds struck directly at Rengoku Kyoujurou. Because these invisible attacks could not be seen, defending against them was extremely difficult. Despite trying his best to block, he was still hit several times.
"Understood." Sensing the attacks, Rengoku Kyoujurou instantly thought of a way to break them; truly, the combat wisdom possessed by a Flame Hashira who has experienced hundreds of battles.
"FLAME BREATHING: FOURTH FORM, BLOOMING FLAME UNDULATION—!"
The Nichirin sword in his hand burned with raging fire, circling around him to form a ring of fire, successfully defending against those invisible fist winds.
He successfully countered this move—Air Type.
Rengoku Kyoujurou realized that he had to get close to Akaza to have any chance of winning; he couldn't let him control the situation from a distance. He had to end this quickly!
In the next moment, Rengoku transformed into a streak of fire, disappearing from his original spot, and rushed towards Akaza at astonishing speed, swinging his sword.
Swish, swish, SWISH—!
Rengoku pressed forward step by step, a storm of continuous slashes raining down on Akaza.
"Your reactions are so quick. But won't such superb swordsmanship gradually decline with time? Don't you think that's a pity?"
Akaza, who was also moving at high speed and throwing punches to meet the enemy, was very excited, but at the same time, he tried to persuade the warrior before him: "Rengoku Kyoujurou! Join us and become a demon! That way, you can keep this talent forever."
"Everyone will face the day they grow old; this is an unavoidable part of being human."
Rengoku Kyoujurou responded with his incomparably firm gaze, completely unmoved, continuing to swing the blade in his hand.
In the distance, Kamado Tanjiro saw this and was extremely anxious, struggling to crawl up to help Rengoku, but he was keenly noticed and severely warned: "Stop! If you move now, it will cause you even greater injury. This is my order!"
Upon hearing this, Kamado Tanjiro froze instantly.
BOOM—!
Rengoku Kyoujurou swung his sword horizontally with great force, then kicked Akaza hard in the stomach, sending him flying into the forest in the distance.
Akaza felt unprecedented excitement; he was completely captivated by Rengoku Kyoujurou's strength.
He didn't want to kill Rengoku Kyoujurou at all; on the contrary, he had been trying to persuade him the whole time.
It would be such a pity if such a powerful man were to die just like that.
"Become a demon, Rengoku Kyoujurou! You have the qualifications!"
"I refuse. I'll say it again, I hate you! I will not become a demon!"
Taking advantage of the pause in Akaza's offensive, Rengoku Kyoujurou regained some strength and quickly adjusted his stance.
Now, there was only one thought in his mind, and that was that he must kill Akaza.
He swung his sword at Akaza again, the flame-enveloped blade slashing down from high above!
"FLAME BREATHING: THIRD FORM, BLAZING UNIVERSE—!"
"This is truly magnificent!"
"DESTRUCTIVE DEATH: AIR TYPE—!"
The smile on Akaza's face became even more brilliant as he threw a punch!
He was completely shocked by Rengoku Kyoujurou's strength; this person's power was still increasing.
Inosuke and Kamado Tanjiro, watching from the sidelines, both showed expressions of shock; the speed at which the two moved had already exceeded their ability to track.
Even if they got slightly closer, they felt they would be instantly caught in the crossfire and die.
At this time, stepping forward to help would not only fail to assist Rengoku Kyoujurou but would only cause him trouble.
Bang, bang, bang, BANG—!
"Can't you see it yet? Persistence in attacking only means heading toward destruction! Kyoujurou!"
No matter how Akaza tried to persuade him, Rengoku Kyoujurou ignored him. To him, what is there to fear in death… I must follow my mother's teachings and protect those who are weak!
"FLAME BREATHING: FIRST FORM, UNKNOWING FIRE—!"
After taking several powerful direct hits from Akaza, he seized the right moment to shift his position, turn around, and slice off the opponent's arm in one stroke.
But to his surprise, the severed arm regenerated as good as new instantly.
"It is a waste to end your life in a place like this; the power of your body has not yet reached its peak!"
After saying this with slight regret, Akaza began a counterattack at an even faster speed and punched Rengoku Kyoujurou hard in the abdomen without mercy.
This blow directly broke several ribs… and caused his internal organs to bleed.
Fresh blood mixed with the breath he exhaled overflowed; due to the severe damage to his internal organs…
After a low moan, Rengoku Kyoujurou could barely steady himself, retreating several steps. 』
『 .....』
〜Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann World〜
"This is the pursuit of a real man! How could those immortal creatures understand this! Simon, you must remember this! To a real man, taking action is more important than boasting! Rengoku Kyoujurou is telling us with his actions what the flavor of a man is!"
"Simon! Don't just think about whether you can do it or not, believe in me, believe in the me who believes in you!"
Kamina stood on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by roaring winds. The cape behind him was blown by the wind, and he exuded an indescribable domineering aura.
Such momentum deeply shocked the young Simon behind him, adding another layer to what this little boy learned from Rengoku Kyoujurou.
—
『 Facing Akaza's subsequent offensive, Rengoku Kyoujurou's right eye was also destroyed.
Blood flowed all over his face, but even if his right eye could never see again, so what?
He still moved forward firmly; Rengoku Kyoujurou did not hesitate and continued to attack!
To defeat an Upper Rank demon, one must inflict massive blood loss on Akaza in a single strike.
"FLAME BREATHING: FIFTH FORM, FLAME TIGER—!!!"
Such a minor injury.
Wanting to make this passionate man give up fighting, that is impossible.
Rengoku Kyoujurou's entire aura erupted, all converting into scorching flames that wrapped around his sword, and he slashed out!
The raging flames transformed into a fierce fire tiger in the air, rushing straight toward Akaza!
The fire tiger flew across the sky at high speed, leaving a red tail behind it, like a meteor in the night sky.
Akaza did not show weakness either; his demon aura instantly surging, and he swung his fists, "DISORDER—!"
Dozens of deep blue fist shadows rushed forward like cannonballs. From the perspective of a bystander, it looked like a sea of blue flames sweeping over.
The fist winds collided with the fire tiger, sparking countless scorching red dots in the air, which then turned into endless starlight and slowly dissipated.
This was an intense confrontation where neither side would yield!
The night was illuminated by the burning firelight, and against the backdrop of the bright moonlight, it appeared particularly spectacular.
"Did he win? Victory!?"
The person speaking excitedly beside him was Inosuke, who was next to Kamado Tanjiro.
However, Rengoku Kyoujurou, before their eyes, did not react at all. Kamado Tanjiro observed carefully and found that Rengoku's body was constantly dripping with bright red blood, which soon dyed the ground beneath his feet red.
Now, every breath he took… made the wounds bleed more, and the clothes on his chest were soaked with blood and sweat.
"Hang in there! Don't fall… Kyoujurou." Akaza sensed that Rengoku Kyoujurou's state was already very poor. He had an inexplicable feeling in his heart; he couldn't bear to lose this man who made his blood boil.
"Even if you fight to the bitter end, it has no meaning, Rengoku Kyoujurou."
"The formidable sword techniques you slashed into my body have already completely recovered."
"And you? One eye is blind, your ribs are broken, and your internal organs are injured; these will never heal again…"
Akaza could sense that the person in front of him had reached his limit.
But he still wanted to persuade Rengoku Kyoujurou to give up the resistance once more.
Kamado Tanjiro and Inosuke's eyes were filled with tears, staring at Rengoku Kyoujurou's firm back.
With blurred vision, Big Brother Kyoujurou had fought until now to protect them, to protect the passengers behind them.
If it weren't for protecting everyone, facing such a strong opponent, running away would have been possible. 』
『 .....』
〜Familiar of Zero World〜
"AHHH—! It's so infuriating, this Akaza is so disgusting, I really want to use a vanishing spell to make him disappear!"
In the Tristain Academy of Magic, Louise lay on the bed, her face full of anger, her breathing heavy. Saito Hiraga, who was lying in the pile of straw next to her, sighed and said:
"It's a good thing I was summoned here by Louise. If I were in that place full of demons… I guess I would have lost my life long ago."
—
〜Bleach World〜
Zaraki Kenpachi slashed through the wall of the meeting room with his sword, unsealing his power, and shouted at the sky:
"So annoying, ahhhhh!"
"What a pity. If only he could have had a sword of his own."
Hitsugaya Toshiro couldn't bear to watch any longer and closed his eyes.
Only this person… he really didn't want to see him die.
"If only… he… could have been born in our world. It would definitely make those hollow afraid."
Hinamori Momo gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, her tone full of regret.
....
"Heh… If everyone in the three realms possessed a soul as unyielding and fearless as Rengoku Kyoujurou, perhaps the path of justice wouldn't be bathed in so much blood."
Tosen Kaname in Las Noches watched the figure of Rengoku Kyoujurou in the distance with immense regret.
"That's right, Rengoku Kyoujurou's contribution to this world… Even if he bought a moment of peace by sacrificing himself, there will still be many people who will ruin all this effort."
Thinking of the deep-seated corruption of the Great Noble Houses, Tosen let out a cold, quiet sigh. They believed themselves untouchable behind their walls, completely unaware that their sins had already sealed their fate.
It wouldn't be long now. When Aizen-sama finally ascends to the heavens and takes the vacant throne, his light will become the absolute despair of the Soul Society... and the cleansing fire they so richly deserve.
—