The wooden prosthetic leg that Horitake had kicked out at the critical moment had indeed served its purpose.
It successfully intercepted the Khakkhara staff Sekido had swung with full force. However, the wooden limb could not withstand such immense power and the accompanying lightning; it cracked with a sharp snap, rendered completely useless!
The prosthetic was destroyed. Was it a pity?
Who could say?
All Horitake wanted from that prosthetic was to buy a fraction of a second—to create a minuscule opening.
And the moment Sekido's staff was blocked, that opening appeared!
Though only one leg remained, Horitake staked everything on this final limb!
Leaning on his Nichirin Blade and planting his sole foot firmly, Horitake twisted his waist with all his might, generating a violent rotational force while simultaneously channeling his breathing technique. Blue electric arcs flashed and crackled over his body!
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
Fighting to the bitter end, he relied on the very first technique of Thunder Breathing!
This move consumed immense energy, but it launched with explosive, violent speed!
At this moment, the distance between Horitake and Sekido was incredibly short. In this square inch of space, the battle was decided by a mere inch—by that fleeting speed and reaction time!
Horitake roared aloud, wrapped in lightning, and swung his Nichirin Blade with ferocious intensity, slashing swiftly toward Sekido's neck!
"Go to hell!"
With a shout of unwavering resolve, Horitake's killing intent had never been sharper!
The blade was too fast! Too violent!
By the time Sekido noticed it, Horitake's Nichirin Blade was already slicing toward his neck.
He tried to retract his staff to defend himself, but it was too late!
"Damn it..."
Sekido's eyes nearly split with rage.
The lightning-clad Nichirin Blade bit into Sekido's flesh.
Horitake clenched his jaw so hard his gums bled, putting every ounce of strength into his remaining leg to drive forward, to slash through. He exerted the very last dregs of his strength!
Finally! The blade Horitake had driven into Sekido's neck sliced through the cervical vertebrae and emerged from the other side!
Sekido's neck was severed!
A surge of joy rose in Horitake's heart. Did I succeed!? Is this clone dead!?
Zenitsu, having crawled up from the gale winds, stood at the door again. Witnessing this scene, he cried out in delight:
"Grandpa! Did it work!?"
With his neck severed, Sekido wore a stunned expression as his head rolled onto the ground with a thud.
Nearby, Karaku, holding his leaf fan, saw this and was not shocked but delighted. He laughed mockingly:
"Hahaha... You got careless! You got your head chopped off! What is this? A horse stumbling? Or getting tripped up by this old man! Hahaha..."
Horitake dragged his one good leg, hopping back rapidly to stand guard. He positioned himself alone, vigilant, silently shielding Zenitsu behind him.
He eyed the headless Sekido warily, then looked cautiously at Karaku.
Something is wrong. His companion was just beheaded, yet this guy is laughing so happily!?
Even if this clone, who embodies 'Pleasure,' doesn't get along with the one who embodies 'Anger,' he shouldn't be this happy, right? There is definitely something wrong!
Wait! This guy has no head, so why is his body still standing there!?
Horitake realized the terrible truth.
And then, something even worse happened.
Sekido's head, rolling on the ground, looked at the laughing Karaku and couldn't help but rage:
"You dare mock me! You are looking for death!"
As soon as he spoke, Sekido's headless body actually began to walk. It found its own head, picked it up, and placed it back onto the severed neck. With a click, the severed neck healed instantly, the reattachment fitting together seamlessly!
Good heavens, it was as casual as attaching a Lego brick!
Horitake was dumbfounded.
"How is this possible!?"
How could a demon be beheaded by a Nichirin Blade and still survive!?
Not only did he survive, but he also casually put his head back on, healing effortlessly.
This guy was practically violating the laws of demons!
Zenitsu was terrified silly. He nearly collapsed onto his backside at the door. Clutching his Nichirin Blade, he asked, trembling:
"G... Grandpa, didn't you say that if you cut a demon's neck with a Nichirin Blade, you can destroy the demon? But... it doesn't look like that now!"
Horitake's confidence wavered as well:
"I don't know what's going on either. Logically, that is how it should be.
Could it be because this guy is Upper Moon Four, and he doesn't fear decapitation?
That doesn't make sense.
Or is this a special effect of this guy's demon clones?"
Horitake guessed correctly; it really was the special Blood Demon Art of Hantengu.
Hantengu's art involved splitting his emotions into clones. Each clone possessed incredible strength and unique abilities.
More than that, these clones possessed immortality. Beyond the regenerative abilities of ordinary demons, even if a clone's neck was severed, it would not die.
If that were the case, wouldn't Hantengu be invincible?
Not exactly.
Where there are clones, there must be a main body!
No matter what the clones are, as long as the main body is slain, the remaining clones will naturally crumble without needing to be attacked.
Immunity to decapitation is the ability of the clones; Hantengu's main body is still afraid of being beheaded by a Nichirin Blade!
So, between these two demon clones—Sekido and Karaku—which one was Hantengu's main body?
Unfortunately, neither of them was.
Do you remember Hantengu's original appearance?
He was a withered old demon who looked timid and weak.
When that old demon was beheaded earlier, Sekido and Karaku split from the body.
But at the moment the clones split, Hantengu's main body fled.
Hantengu's main body remained that of the submissive, cowardly, withered old man.
However, true to his reputation for being as timid as a mouse, at the moment of splitting, his main body shrank to the size of an actual mouse and scurried away!
Peach Mountain was vast. With Hantengu's main body the size of a mouse hiding somewhere within it, where could they possibly find it? How could they kill Hantengu's main body?
If Hantengu's main body wasn't killed, his clones were immortal and indestructible. They were impossible to deal with.
If this continued, Horitake would be worn down until he died!
What's more, Horitake didn't know Hantengu's secrets at this moment. He had no idea that Hantengu's main body wasn't even here.
Horitake looked at Sekido and Karaku, then looked down at his single remaining leg, and finally back at the frightened Zenitsu. A wave of despair washed over him.
This time, we are really going to fall here!
The old man held his Nichirin Blade, blocking the path in front of Zenitsu. His tone was extremely serious and severe as he shouted sternly at Zenitsu:
"Zenitsu, if you still acknowledge me as your grandfather, listen to me. Run down the mountain immediately."
The cowardly Zenitsu seemed to be triggered by these words.
Shing. He drew the Nichirin Blade from his robe in a flash. I don't know where he found the courage, but even with tears and snot still hanging from his face, Zenitsu stepped out of the house and stood beside Horitake, facing off against the two demon clones!
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