Episode 289: Tanjiro Roars! The Dimensional Roar!
『 He was still just a child, yet he already had to face the agonizing pain of losing a beloved parent.
While other children were playing to their hearts' content, Rengoku Kyojuro had already shouldered the responsibility of guiding his younger brother's growth. He also dedicated himself to helping those in need, striving relentlessly to rid humanity of the threat posed by Kibutsuji Muzan.
Rengoku Ruka was a magnificent mother. She demonstrated a profound maternal love that moved everyone who knew her. Even while plagued by illness, she never forgot her duties as a mother, hoping to raise her child into a man capable of supporting the heavens and the earth.
And she had indeed succeeded. The young Rengoku Kyojuro had kept his mother's words etched deeply in his mind, remembering them always, no matter the time or place.
Becoming the Flame Hashira at a young age, he embarked on a journey to protect the weak.
Though he knew this path was destined to be fraught with hardship, rugged and difficult, and that he might face bloodthirsty demons blocking his way at any moment—or even end up sacrificing his own life to take the enemy down with him—he still marched forward unfalteringly toward this destination.
Suddenly, at this very moment…
The fading aura of Rengoku Kyojuro suddenly flared back to life. The flames erupting from his entire body seemed capable of incinerating everything in existence!
Since the fire in his heart had been lit, he would burn his very soul and surpass his limits once more! His soul transformed into blazing fire, surging through his meridians as his eyes shone like the sun.
Endless tears and deep yearnings all transformed into a force that made his soul burn even hotter.
In the eyes of the spectators, the battle intent radiating from Rengoku Kyojuro had reached an unprecedented intensity, his strength multiplying dozens of times over.
The previously weak spark had now become a raging inferno.
The Nichirin Sword gripped in Rengoku Kyojuro's right hand erupted with flames once more. It was no longer a reddish-yellow blaze, but a pure golden fire—like the boundless golden light of merit bestowed by the Heavenly Dao, dazzling beyond measure.
"MOTHER! I AM THE ONE! TO HAVE A MOTHER LIKE YOU, IT IS MY UTMOST HONOR!!"
While silently thanking his mother, Rengoku Ruka, in his heart, Rengoku Kyojuro gritted his teeth. The strength in his hands returned, and he tightened his grip on his Nichirin Sword, slashing directly toward Akaza's throat!
This sight made Akaza tense up instantly.
Akaza stared in astonishment, unable to comprehend how this human, who was clearly on the verge of death, could still unleash such terrifying power.
His organs were completely ruptured, several ribs were broken, and one of his eyes had been blinded…
Was this the strength of humanity?
Always blooming with the most dazzling light in the darkest of times. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Karna (Type-Moon): "Rengoku Kyojuro… truly admirable. What a pity you do not possess solar divinity, otherwise these wicked fiends would have been completely incinerated by your incredibly hot soul!" ]
[ Karna (Type-Moon): "I truly wish to bestow the Golden Armor upon you so you may defeat the evil before you… Alas, the distance between us is too vast." ]
[ Joseph Joestar (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure): "Rengoku Kyojuro, I know what your ending will be, and it must be a victory for humanity! Everything is within the calculations of me, JOJO! You can't lose!" ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "But didn't they say earlier that dawn is about to break?" ]
[ Joseph Joestar (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure): "..." ]
[ .....]
『 Seeing that he was about to have his neck severed by the Nichirin Sword enveloped in golden flames, Akaza no longer dared to persuade him to become a demon. Knowing he was on the verge of doom, he unhesitatingly clenched his left hand into a fist and smashed it brutally toward Rengoku Kyojuro's head!
He put all of his strength into this punch, determined to bring this man down!
"Aaaaaah! This is impossible!"
However, just as his fist approached Rengoku Kyojuro at extreme speed, it was caught and tightly gripped by the other man's left hand. The immense strength prevented Akaza's fingers from advancing even a millimeter further!
"AAAAAAAAAAH—!"
Rengoku Kyojuro stared at Akaza without blinking, his right arm exerting force as he intended to eliminate this demon before he drew his last breath.
I must fulfill my promise! No matter what, I will protect everyone!
I must end the threat of Upper Rank Three right here—let this incredibly powerful monster drag me down to hell with me.
If I cannot achieve this, how can I face my mother again?
"How can this be! I clearly pierced his heart!"
Akaza simply could not comprehend why Rengoku Kyojuro possessed such immense strength; moreover, he wasn't even a demon…
Then, he looked up at the sky and saw the faint rays of light emerging from behind the thick dark clouds, realizing that dawn would arrive very soon.
"Shoot! The sun is rising!"
"Hurry up and finish him off so I can run!"
At this moment, an unprecedented sense of panic appeared on Akaza's face.
If he did not leave this place immediately, once the sunlight fully emerged, his body would vaporize into nothingness, like ice under high heat.
"AAAAAAAAH—! My hand… I can't pull it out!"
Even though he struggled with all his might, his right arm remained completely immobile. The other man's arms, as solid as iron, locked him in place, plunging him into utter despair.
The unyielding will radiating from Rengoku Kyojuro was truly terrifying!
Not many could truly sense this; only those who had personally fought him would deeply understand: this warrior's heart was harder than anything else in the world.
His crimson eyes stared intently at the demon before him as Rengoku Kyojuro growled deeply, "Want to run? NO WAY!!!!"
As long as he held out until sunrise, it would be a victory; so no matter what, he had to hold on!
He had to endure, to save more innocent lives, and to practice the truth his mother had taught him!
"No matter what Rengoku-san says, I must act! I have to sever the demon's neck! Faster! Run faster!"
Kamado Tanjiro struggled to stand up, clutching his injured abdomen.
At this moment, the eastern sky began to gradually brighten, a sight that made Akaza increasingly frantic and uneasy.
"This is bad… The sunlight will be here soon!"
"Escape! Escape while there's still a chance!"
"AAAAAAAAAH—!"
Yet no matter how Akaza screamed and struggled, it was all in vain.
"I WON'T LET GO UNTIL I SEVER YOUR HEAD!!!"
With his veins bulging, Rengoku Kyojuro increased his grip strength once more and slowly pushed the Nichirin Sword into the demon's neck, already cutting a full two centimeters deep! 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Hiraga Saito (Zero No Tsukima): "Holy crap! Is he really human? His heart was crushed, yet he could still exert such force… He's even more amazing than me!" ]
[ Psykos (One Punch Man): "Is this… breaking the human limiter? How terrifying. Thank goodness he isn't a hero… otherwise, no one in the Hero Association would be his match." ]
[ .....]
『 "AAAAAAAAH—! GET OFF ME!!!!" Akaza was in a state of sheer panic; he had never been this close to the brink of death.
The force of the Nichirin Sword in Rengoku Kyojuro's hands continued to increase, advancing slowly and relentlessly, "AAAAAAAAAAH—!"
Astonishingly, in the next instant, Rengoku Kyojuro's Nichirin Sword had already cut halfway through Akaza's neck. Just a little bit more, and he would completely sever his head and send him to the afterlife!
On the other side, Tanjiro shouted anxiously to Inosuke, "INOSUKE!!! Quick… help Rengoku-ANIKI!!!"
Hearing this, Inosuke immediately unleashed his signature skill, sprinting across the ground like a gust of wind.
"BEAST BREATHING! FIRST FANG—!"
In the next moment, he activated his Beast Breathing and leaped violently off the ground, flying through the air with both hands gripping his Nichirin Swords in a piercing stance, "CHARGE!!!!"
Hearing Inosuke's rage-filled roar, Akaza felt a sudden jolt of terror in his heart.
In a desperate split-second decision, he forcefully severed his own arms to break free from the lock.
Then, he stomped heavily on the ground, creating a powerful shockwave that blew Inosuke far away.
The strength displayed by Upper Rank Three Akaza shocked the Demon Slayer Corps members. So this was the legendary Upper Rank demon; a simple kick could unleash such terrifying power.
Seeing Akaza successfully break free, Tanjiro's face was filled with anxiety.
At this moment, Akaza looked incredibly pathetic. With the crimson Nichirin Sword still embedded in his neck, his face was filled with utter panic as he scrambled frantically toward the forest behind him. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Kanroji Mitsuri (Demon Slayer): "WAAAAAH—! Rengoku-san…" ]
[ Kenpachi Zaraki (Bleach): "Damn it! You piece of trash! What do you mean by running away in the middle of a fight! Keep fighting!" ]
[ Aizen (Bleach): "Hehehe, truly a weak and pathetic waste." ]
[ Douma (Demon Slayer): "Hehehe, I didn't expect this man to have a day where he runs away. I can have a good laugh at him now." ]
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "DAMN IT!!! We, the Demon Slayer Corps, will definitely slay all demons! Rengoku-san…" ]
[ Meruem (HunterXHunter): "A creature inferior even to humans… how pitiful! To possess such vast power yet have such weak willpower; indeed, trash will always be trash." ]
[ Kibutsuji Muzan (Demon Slayer): "..." ]
[ .....]
『 Enduring the agonizing pain in his abdomen, Kamado Tanjiro had already closed the distance, sparks flying from his mouth.
Then, with a flash of crimson flame, his Nichirin Sword sliced through the air like a shooting star, directly impaling Akaza's body.
It pierced straight through from his back to his chest, looking like a roasted pig skewered on an iron rod—a gruesome sight.
Akaza, who had been running for his life, froze. A sharp pain shot through his chest. He couldn't help but turn his head, his eyes filled with shock—it was Kamado Tanjiro?!
He had never expected that a minor character he thought he could easily ignore would actually manage to wound him from such a distance—a full hundred meters away!
Fortunately… fortunately, he hadn't used this kind of attack while he was in the air. Otherwise, being impaled mid-air would have left him unable to dodge, and he might have been burned to ash by the sunlight.
Soon, Akaza noticed that a large patch of land behind him was already illuminated by the sun, so he accelerated his escape.
Seeing that his attack had only momentarily halted Akaza's steps before the demon ran even faster, Tanjiro roared in desperation, "DON'T YOU DARE RUN!!! YOU COWARD!!! STOP!!!"
"Huh?!"
Akaza, whose sole focus was finding a dark place to hide, turned his head once more upon hearing this roar, his expression turning twisted and furious. "What is this guy talking about? Is his brain filled with water?"
"The one I'm afraid of isn't you people, it's the sun! And the victor is already clear!"
"It won't be long before he collapses from exhaustion!"
Filled with rage at Tanjiro's ignorant defiance, Akaza leaped quickly and finally vanished completely into the depths of the dense forest, leaving Tanjiro with no way to track him.
Seeing Akaza disappear entirely, besides anger, Kamado Tanjiro also felt a deep sense of his own inadequacy. He was simply too weak…
Sorrowful yet stirring background music began to play.
His expression was a mix of grief and fury as he screamed at the top of his lungs, "THE DEMON SLAYER CORPS… ALWAYS FIGHTS YOU IN THE NIGHT WHERE YOU HAVE THE ADVANTAGE!!!"
"We are living, breathing humans! Our wounds don't heal quickly… and severed limbs don't just grow back!"
Every time he thought about how the Demon Slayer Corps had to protect people under such unfair conditions, Tanjiro felt a deep sense of injustice.
Those vile demons had no morals whatsoever; they would use hostages to threaten or halt the Demon Slayers. It was absolutely despicable!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles popped.
"DON'T RUN!!! YOU COWARD!!! YOU BASTARD!!! You absolute coward!"
"Rengoku-san is far more amazing than you! He is much stronger than you!!"
"Rengoku-san did not lose! HE PROTECTED EVERYONE TO THE VERY END!!! HE HELD ON AND PROTECTED US UNTIL HIS FINAL MOMENT!!!"
"AKAZA, YOU LOST!!! RENGOKU-ANIKI WON!!!"
As a few rays of sunlight fell upon him, Tanjiro's face was filled with anger, helplessness, and sorrow. He kept cursing Akaza the coward, shouting until his voice went hoarse before finally stopping.
Beside him, Inosuke stared at the grieving Kamado Tanjiro. Underneath his boar mask, he also looked incredibly sad.
He trembled uncontrollably under the mask, tears streaming down his cheeks and dripping onto the ground. His heart felt exceptionally heavy and sorrowful.
From all the shouting, Tanjiro began to pant heavily. Once he stopped cursing, that deep sorrow washed over him once more.
His face was covered in tears. He gritted his teeth, his lips parting as a mixture of blood and tears dripped onto the ground.
This scene was heartbreakingly painful to watch.
Kamado Tanjiro clenched his fists, tears pouring out uncontrollably as he let out a despairing cry, "AAAAAAAAAAH—!"
He wept aloud. The last time he had cried like this was when his family died, but now, Rengoku Kyojuro had become someone incredibly dear to him. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Kurosaki Ichigo (Bleach): "Yes! That's right! Rengoku-san did not lose to Akaza! Rengoku-san won! DAMN DEMONS!!!" ]
[ Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): "Coward! Coward! Akaza, you coward, I'M GOING TO SEND YOU FLYING!!!" ]
[ Ronoroa Zoro (One Piece): "No… Luffy, a demon like that, must die by my sword. I will cut him to pieces!" ]
[ .....]
〜Demon Slayer World〜
"Kamado Tanjiro… what a fine young man, a truly promising seed."
Ubuyashiki Kagaya looked gently at Kamado Tanjiro in the video—the boy who felt so much indignation and grief on behalf of Rengoku Kyojuro.
"Damn it… what are you crying for!"
Seeing Kamado Tanjiro's reaction, Shinazugawa Sanemi felt a bit of regret for his past actions, and his heart had already begun to accept the boy.
He was very much like Ubuyashiki Kagaya—a person who grieved for every fallen Demon Slayer and rejoiced for every survivor.
To be able to feel sorrow for another's misfortune and joy for another's happiness was a truly precious quality, and Kamado Tanjiro possessed it.
—
〜DanMachi World〜
Orario, the Labyrinth City—
At the top of the towering white Babel.
"AAAAAAAAH—! Such a soul, such an incredibly hot soul! I want it, I want to have him! Rengoku Kyojuro, you are mine, you are mine! I won't let you go! You will belong to me forever!"
Freya, the main deity of the Freya Familia—one of the strongest familias in the Labyrinth City—had been completely captivated by Rengoku Kyojuro. Although Kamado Tanjiro had been captivating enough before, Rengoku Kyojuro's soul was actually evolving and constantly sublimating!
Could anyone imagine? She even began to wonder if Rengoku Kyojuro was the reincarnation of some deity. How could he sublimate his own soul? Even Freya, a main deity of the Heaven, couldn't perform such a feat!
To burn oneself over and over again from the brink of death and break through one's limits—if such a person were in her familia, she might actually witness a mortal reaching the realm of a demigod hero with her own eyes.
—
『 Kamado Tanjiro's face was filled with surprise. It was his first time encountering such a youth, and his heart felt deeply comforted. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, as if the young man had brought a spark of warmth back to him.
Even in this state, Rengoku Kyojuro still maintained that smile as warm as the summer sun. He seemed neither sad nor happy about his impending fate as he spoke in a weak voice, "Stop shouting…"
"The wound on your abdomen will open up. Your injuries are not light either. If anything happens to you, then it really will be my loss." 』
『 .....』