As battles raged across the country, the heart of the Yoshiwara Entertainment District had become a war zone. The fight between six of the Demon Slayer Corps' Hashira and three of the Upper Rank Twelve Kizuki was escalating to a bloody climax.
The conflict was split across three distinct battlefields.
First, there was Upper Rank Two, Doma, the charismatic leader of the Eternal Paradise Cult, facing the combined might of the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho, and the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji.
Elsewhere, Upper Rank Three, Akaza, fought against the Demon Slayer Corps' strongest warrior, the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima, and the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku.
Finally, the sibling demons of Upper Rank Six, Gyutaro and Daki, were locked in combat with the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito, and the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui.
Each of these three battles was progressing very differently.
The fight between Doma and the two female Hashira had started explosively, but it had quickly devolved into a one-sided massacre. Doma was toying with them.
Shinobu Kocho's swordsmanship was flawless, a blur of precise thrusts, and her unique poison was incredibly lethal to any normal demon. However, she was completely helpless against Doma's Blood Demon Art. Her poison-laced blade couldn't find a way past his army of crystalline ice dolls, each one a perfect, unfeeling replica of himself.
Mitsuri Kanroji, who relied on her incredible flexibility and speed for close-range combat, was equally neutralized. Her acrobatic style was useless on the treacherous, ever-expanding frost that covered the ground, making every step a struggle. It was impossible to build momentum.
Even though they were two of the most talented fighters in the Demon Slayer Corps, they were utterly outmatched. Doma's Blood Demon Art countered their abilities so perfectly that they could do nothing but defend. If the Upper Rank demon wasn't enjoying himself and holding back his true power, they would already be dead.
But even with Doma playing with them, they were being pushed back relentlessly by his powerful, freezing attacks. A bitter sense of powerlessness filled the hearts of both Shinobu and Mitsuri.
This was especially agonizing for Shinobu. Staring at the demon who had murdered her older sister, her eyes were bloodshot with pure hatred. She wanted nothing more than to kill Doma and avenge her family, but the reality of the situation was crushing. She couldn't even get close enough to land a single scratch, let alone deliver a fatal dose of poison. The gap in their power felt as wide as the heavens.
In contrast, the battle between Akaza, Gyomei, and Kyojuro was locked in a brutal stalemate.
Gyomei, wielding his Stone Breathing, and Kyojuro, unleashing his Flame Breathing, had immediately activated their Demon Slayer Marks, granting them enough power to overwhelm Akaza at the start.
However, Akaza, a demon obsessed with battle, refused to yield. He stubbornly endured their onslaught, relying on his instantaneous regeneration and seemingly limitless stamina. He even began to trade blows recklessly, taking injuries that would kill any human a hundred times over, just to land a counterattack. This tactic frustrated Gyomei and Kyojuro, who could do nothing but watch him heal from their best attacks.
While they currently held the advantage in skill and power, they knew they couldn't decapitate him instantly. If the fight dragged on, Akaza would simply wear them down. They would eventually succumb to exhaustion and be tragically killed.
After all, they were only human. Their mortal bodies could never compete with a demon's immortal endurance. To make matters worse, Akaza was a master martial artist, and his fighting style was terrifyingly effective. As long as they remained focused, they could defend against his techniques, but the moment fatigue set in, the outcome would be unthinkable.
"This is amazing! So refreshing!" Akaza declared, a wide, predatory grin spreading across his face. "It's been far too long since I've had a fight this exhilarating!"
Over the centuries, he had killed countless opponents, but he had never felt a thrill like this. He loved the feeling of his enemies desperately trying to kill him, only to fail again and again.
"Come on!" A wild fighting spirit burned in his eyes. "In this battle, there is no victory or defeat—only life or death!"
As he finished speaking, he slammed his fists forward, unleashing a devastating shockwave. "Blood Demon Art: Destructive Kill!"
The third battlefield, featuring Upper Rank Six, was another story entirely.
Gyutaro and Daki were facing Muichiro Tokito and Tengen Uzui. The fight had started with only Daki, and she was quickly overwhelmed by the prodigious talent of Muichiro, who had activated his Demon Slayer Mark and crimson blade the moment the battle began. He had almost decapitated her immediately.
If Gyutaro hadn't burst from her back at the last second, Daki would have been killed on the spot. With the two demons fighting together, they finally managed to bring the battle to a standstill.
However, that stalemate lasted for only a few moments before the situation shifted once again.
"Damn it! That ninja is one thing," Gyutaro thought as he and Daki dodged another coordinated assault. "He's flashy, but his attacks don't have enough weight to be a real threat."
"But that long-haired kid... he's terrifying," his thoughts continued, his gaze fixed on Muichiro. "He figured out all of our attack patterns in an instant! To make matters worse, they already wiped out the hundreds of lesser demons we called for backup! Damn it!"
The two demons were forced from offense to defense, constantly retreating. Tengen was certainly powerful, but even with his Demon Slayer Mark, his attacks weren't inflicting any lasting damage.
Muichiro, on the other hand, was completely different. Every one of his seemingly simple strikes was aimed at a critical weakness. He exploited every opening with surgical precision. When he lunged for Gyutaro, it was always at the exact moment Daki was unable to help. When he turned on Daki, Gyutaro was always tied up with Tengen.
Even with their years of perfect synergy as siblings, Gyutaro and Daki found themselves being pushed back. A terrifying dread began to grow in their hearts for Muichiro, whose strength seemed to have grown immensely in such a short time.
"Now!" Muichiro saw his chance.
The moment Gyutaro and Daki dodged again, Muichiro's Nichirin Blade moved with a fluid, unpredictable grace.
Pfft!
A spray of blood erupted as Gyutaro's head was sent flying into the air. Almost in the same motion, Muichiro's blade changed direction, targeting Daki. Like a surging river, the shining steel transformed into a shimmering net of death that closed in on her.
"Die!" Muichiro yelled, swinging his blade in a powerful arc aimed straight for her neck.
If this strike landed, both demons would perish for good.
"No!"
"No!"
Gyutaro's severed head and Daki screamed in unison.
In that same instant, the air grew heavy, and a suffocating pressure descended upon the battlefield. A towering, demonic figure materialized from the shadows behind Muichiro.
An extreme sense of dread washed over the young Hashira, but before he could even react, a blade of impossible speed flashed past him.
Pfft!
The blade light tore through his shoulder. Muichiro's sword arm flew into the air, spraying blood across the sky. His Nichirin Blade fell and shattered on the ground with a sharp crack.
Standing before Muichiro's disbelieving eyes was a man with six haunting eyes, calmly sheathing his blade as if he had done nothing at all.
It was the most powerful demon of them all... Upper Rank One of the Twelve Kizuki: Kokushibo.
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