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Scan the display.
Everything changed in an instant.
With his back to Muichiro, the demon reached behind him, drew a fan, and gave it one gentle flick.
The next second.
Boom.
A thunderous blast.
What should have been a casual wave ripped through the air like a storm. The two-story building where Tanjiro and the others stood crumpled in an instant. The terrifying pressure of the wind sent the Mist Hashira, Tokito Muichiro, hurtling hundreds, maybe thousands of meters through the trees before he crashed into the forest depths.
The scene stole breath from viewers across countless worlds.
…
Fourth Raikage A from the Naruto realm: "What kind of tool is that? A folding fan? No, if it were the Iron Fan it would have vanished with the Gold Horn and Silver Horn already."
Lu Mingfei from the Dragonworld: "Holy—did that Upper Rank borrow Princess Iron Fan's palm fan? No, look at that shape. Could it be the legendary Five-Animal Fan from myth?"
Chu Zihang shook his head seriously, "Not likely. If it were that kind of weapon it wouldn't just blow someone away so simply."
"Hey, hey, I was just spitballing," Lu Mingfei protested righteously. "Those demons aren't entitled to mythical weapons."
One-Person World's Ma Xianhong chuckled, "A demon's tool, huh? That's worth taking note of."
…
The fan-wielding demon laughed freely, voice full of malice. "Haha, how interesting. Little Nezuko really flew far, didn't she? Right, Accumulated Anger?"
"Not funny at all," another demon snapped, face always in a scowl. "I'm furious. Kola, get over here, you too!"
He hefted his iron staff and slammed it down.
Sizzle.
Boom.
Bright electricity forked through the air, striking Tanjiro and Nezuko before they could react. The current blurred Tanjiro's senses. Before he lost consciousness he glimpsed someone on the roof, twin-barrel shotgun in hand — Genya Shinazugawa.
Bang.
Bang.
Two shots rang out. Ammo that hit like a Nichirin blade tore through the chanting demon Accumulated Anger, severing its head mid-spell.
Genya surged forward in a flash and beheaded the other demon, Kola, with the same clean, brutal efficiency.
The suddenness of it drew sharp attention across the multiverse.
"Who's that half-shaved kid? He's dangerous.""He's rude as hell, nothing like Tanjiro.""That's Genya Shinazugawa, Sanemi's brother. Same temper.""Even Angel-Tanjiro couldn't put up with him. But Tanjiro didn't give up.""He's a brat, but his weapon is interesting.""In this moment, I just want to tell those demons — 'Get a taste of this!'"
Many thought that cutting off those two heads ended the threat, and relaxed.
But that was a mistake.
Fifth Hokage Tsunade: "Upper Rank Four and Upper Rank Six work differently. Upper Ranks don't get taken down that easily. This is a trap, they're doing this on purpose."
Fairy Queen Erza: "Splitting into two isn't the demon's limit. It can keep dividing. That's why the boy could cut the neck and it didn't end it."
Don't Be Surprised, Zhang Culan: "So it becomes four. Genya acted too hastily, but he had no way of knowing the split."
Assassin Mei Hua Thirteen: "Anything that splits is annoying, whether demons or cursed blades. Still, I doubt this demon can split into hundreds like that sword."
...
Scan the display again.
The fight didn't pause.
Upper Rank Four fragmented into four beings.
Wings sprouted and the new demons dove outward, swift and birdlike. One set of talons snatched Tanjiro while another demon opened its beak and unleashed a concentrated sonic attack.
At the crucial moment Tanjiro struck, severing the demon's talon and tumbling into the treeline. Blood ran from his nose and mouth, his head buzzing from the sonic onslaught.
Still, no matter how much it hurt, Tanjiro refused to give up. He gritted his teeth, forced down the pain, and thought through his options.
The Demon Slayer Corps headquarters could only watch and analyze; it was a future battle and they could not intervene.
"I noticed something," Shinobu said, voice taut. "The four split demons each have a different character written on their tongues: joy, anger, sorrow, and delight. Four must be this demon's limit."
"Exactly," Rengoku agreed. "The 'joy' demon that Tanjiro severed also split, but it didn't form an independent entity like the others. Its attacks weakened."
"Joy uses flight and sonic waves. The original anger used lightning. The delight produces storms. The last one, the sorrow demon, was the one with the gun; its power is still unknown." Tengen Uzui spoke gravely.
"Not okay, not okay! The demon split into four. Muichiro is down, and Tanjiro alone can't handle this. Little Nezuko, don't die!" Zenitsu rolled on the ground, squealing.
"Tanjiro, hang on, I'm coming!" Inosuke charged, dual blades flashing, just as noisy.
Sanemi, the wind Hashira, turned sharply and glared at the two. Then, as if saying action speaks louder than words, he lunged into the courtyard and grabbed the delinquent boy hiding there.
"Genya, what did you do? I've told you a million times you're not cut out for this. You just make things worse. If you won't stop, I'll gouge your eyes out right now!" Sanemi barked, and he meant it. He was ready to make his brother useless to the Corps on the spot.
A thick hand clamped his wrist.
"Namu Amida Butsu."Genya isn't an adopted son, but he was Sanemi's half-disciple. The Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima, would not stand by and let this happen.
Gyomei and Tanjiro both rushed forward. Tanjiro wrenched Genya free from Sanemi's grasp.
"Are you hurt? Genya, what were you doing? Isn't he your brother?" Tanjiro asked, breathless.
"Shut up!" the Shinazugawa brothers snapped in unison, not a hint of gratitude.
"This is no time to argue," Rengoku's hearty voice cut through. "Our comrades are fighting. If we can't help, then at least we should witness their battle to the end."
Even hot-headed Sanemi gave him a nod and let it drop.
…
Meanwhile, in the Infinity Castle, the demons' stronghold.
"Forgive me, Lord Muzan. We could not take care of the demon hunters quickly. But I will kill them all, even if it costs me everything!" the Upper Rank Four stammered.
"Lord Muzan, we found the swordsmith village. Soon it will be destroyed. We are useful in ways others are not." Upper Rank Five, Gyokko, said with greedy delight.
"If you want praise, destroy the swordsmith village first. But the thing I truly want destroyed is not just that village. It is the head of that family… the Ubuyashiki clan's headquarters." Muzan's voice was cold.
"Lord Muzan." Upper Rank Two, Douma, spoke up. "The human officials gathered at Paradise might be of use for that purpose."
"..."
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