Chapter 283: One-Slash Shura x Atomic Fusion Slash
A single slash can be completely ordinary, or it can be... One-Slash Shura!
Holding his sword, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai faced the young boy from a distance. His old eyes narrowed slightly, wantonly overflowing with an intense glint, as if seeking to peer through Roy completely from the inside out.
The clash of dozens of slashes just now had occurred within the blink of an eye. Yet to Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, the intuitive sensation it brought felt as long as a full ten years.
Those ten years were not the boy's ten years, but his own... It was his own swordsmanship experience accumulated from ten hard years of bloody fighting, which had been thoroughly compressed by the boy and entirely absorbed within the span of a single blink.
This unbelievable speed of improvement... this terrifying talent that could gradually keep up with his offensive rhythm... was far from anything a certain reckless Kenpachi, who usually liked to seek him out for casual hacking matches, could compare to.
"Almost there..."
"Just one slash left, only one slash!" With Solar Eclipse in hand, Roy relied on Rebirth from a Drop of Blood to rapidly repair the wounds on his body. Taking a deep breath, he shifted from a single-handed to a two-handed grip. Lowering his blade into a iaido stance, his body launched like an arrow of light. Using the moonlight as a springboard, he charged toward Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai once more. Following that...
Came the boy's deep shout, sounding like a twilight drum and morning bell: "Slash!"
An exhibition of swordsmanship that integrated the Scorching True Meaning, Magnetism, and the thirteen forms of Sun Breathing revealed its majestic form. A faint silhouette with fiery red hair seemed to emerge from behind Roy.
He was born with a mark, born transparent, a natural-born seed of the sword. At this moment, though he had already departed to the netherworld, he had entrusted his entire swordsmanship legacy.
As the fighting intent in Roy's heart surged and climbed to its peak, he slowly gripped Solar Eclipse alongside the phantom. A seemingly ordinary iaido slash drew the blade diagonally upward, heading straight for Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai's chest.
The old man froze slightly, narrowing his eyes as he said, "Is this your former swordsmanship teacher?"
The man was gone, leaving only his legacy... Yamamoto-Genryūsai keenly sniffed a residual trace of a departed soul from Roy's body. Unhurriedly wielding Ryūjin Jakka, he executed a similarly ordinary parry, deflecting it diagonally downward.
The boundless spiritual pressure, carrying an unmatched sword momentum, instantly deflected this strike that was infused with the residual rhyme of Yoriichi Tsugikuni's swordsmanship to the side. It carried enough force that Roy could no longer maintain his grip on Solar Eclipse; it flew out of his hand, drawing a spray of fresh blood.
Pfft~ The webbing between his thumb and forefinger split open, exposing the bone of his right hand.
Right in front of Roy's face, Yamamoto-Genryūsai freed up his empty left hand, clenched it into a violent fist, and struck directly at Roy's lower abdomen—Ikkotsu (Single Bone)! The brutal Hakuda technique that had once shattered Wonderweiss made its savage appearance.
Roy felt as if he had been struck head-on by a mountain peak. Amidst the snapping sound of his ribs fracturing, he flew backward in the blink of an eye. He smashed through an unknown amount of wind and clouds along the way. In the next glance, he crashed violently toward the earth, plowing a trench nearly a thousand meters long into the ground before stabilizing his figure with his back against a boulder.
"The same words apply,"
"Excellent sword technique, but your spiritual pressure is too poor."
A leisurely gust of wind arose, blowing away the kicked-up dust.
In a flash of movement, Yamamoto-Genryūsai arrived via Shunpo, floating down as he stepped onto the moonlight. Touching down on the ground, holding his fist with one hand and his sword with the other, he looked forward expressionlessly.
On a fractured boulder, the boy was embedded in a human-shaped indentation. His chest was visibly caved inward. Were it not for the fact that his breathing and heartbeat could still be heard, anyone else might mistakenly believe he had been turned into a specimen or embedded in amber, having long since lost all signs of life.
"Is it over... is it finally coming to an end?"
The moonlight in the sky fully revealed itself. Deprived of the "fire" and the "sun," it finally seemed to dare display its form, releasing its moonbeams to proclaim... that this place was still the dark night governed by the moon.
From south to north, from west to east across the Demon Slayer world, those prostrating on the ground murmuring to the gods and those staring blankly up at the sky all exhaled a sigh of relief in unison, as if rehearsed beforehand. Too many unbelievable things had occurred tonight, enough to completely overturn the worldviews of an unknown number of people. Even the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps who vaguely knew a bit of the inside story—including Giyu Tomioka, Gyomei Himejima, and Kyojuro Rengoku—had their nerves taut every single moment, let alone the general public of this world who had never learned a "Breathing Style" or opened their aura nodes!
"Is it over?" This was Kagaya Ubuyashiki asking Kyojuro Rengoku.
"Is it over?" This was Makomo asking Sabito.
"Is it over?" This was the murmur of the blind monk beside that ancient temple in the western suburbs of Kyoto... On this unforgettable night, within the darkness that had been driven away several times, numerous questions accompanied by even more Faith Power crossed rivers, mountains, and grasslands, lingering in the human world as they quietly surged toward Roy.
"Cough..." A weak coughing sound emerged from that fractured boulder.
The boy, who had been instantly knocked unconscious by the massive force of Yamamoto-Genryūsai's fist, slowly woke up. He opened his mouth and spat out a piece of internal organ, returning to his senses.
His body felt as if it had fallen apart, aching everywhere... causing his brow to furrow tightly and the corners of his mouth to twitch uncontrollably.
A pity that [Rebirth from a Drop of Blood] can only repair injuries, not alleviate pain.
It is hard to imagine how terrified Muzan must have been in the original story when facing Yoriichi Tsugikuni, choosing to directly detonate himself into over a thousand pieces; he must have been driven to absolute desperation!
Tap... tap... A series of unhurried, neither light nor heavy footsteps slowly carried over along with the cool breeze from the other end of the trench.
Sensing that absolute pinnacle of oppressive pressure and the Zanpakutō held in the opponent's hand that concealed an endless, scorching heat, Roy struggled to pry himself out from the boulder. Following that, he fell into a clumsy, seated position on the ground with a thump, raising his head with great difficulty to look up.
The distance of a thousand meters was condensed into a single step beneath the old man clad in his white haori and pitch-black Shihakusho. In the next glance, he flashed directly in front of Roy, looking down at him from above as he said, "Is there anything else?"
Within Yamamoto-Genryūsai's old eyes, weathered by wind and time, a sharp glint of profound appreciation infrequently emerged. With a turn of his wrist, he drove Ryūjin Jakka straight into the ground in front of him, looking exactly like an elderly man leaning on a walking stick, quietly watching Roy.
Roy's fiery red long hair swayed in the wind, the strands dusted with dirt that rustled downward. As the corners of his mouth pulled back, he endured the pain and smiled: "Of course."
At that precise moment, the panel prompt sound traveled over:
[Prompt: "Swordsmanship" +100] [Current "Swordsmanship": LV4 (99,940/100,000) → LV5 (40/1,000,000)]
The corners of the boy's mouth hooked upward, the faint arc growing larger and larger. At a certain moment, his smile froze, and his entire body stiffened. As the suns ignited within his pupils slowly rotated, his consciousness followed the cool breeze and shot straight upward.
In one second, he flew past Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai.
In two seconds, he soared over the mountain forest.
In three seconds, he bypassed the moon... In four seconds, he exited the atmosphere, entering the endless deep void. Drawn by an unseen scorching heat and brilliant light, he flew toward the depths of the nebula. Amidst the haze, after an unknown amount of time, he finally saw it—the massive orb wrapped by the nebula, encircled by countless star rings, wantonly radiating light and heat into the universe: the Sun!
"If you want to learn [Ren], first visualize your heart... A person who doesn't even know what they want in their own heart cannot develop a [Nen Ability] or become a 'Nen User'."
In the past, the earnest teachings of his father, Silva, surfaced in his mind.
Roy opened his eyes, staring blankly before him at the massive sphere of light encircled by several planets.
Peering through its surface appearance, he saw solar flares, he saw sunspots, and he felt the solar wind... He then penetrated the photosphere, advancing into the deepest depths of the sun. For the first time in his life, he observed the sun at a negative distance!
So, why was the upgrade of "Swordsmanship" connected to the Sun?
That's it... Because my heart is my sword. Just as there are ten thousand kinds of swords—swords of gentleness, swords of slaughter, swords of loyalty, swords of justice... as for me...
The boy detached from the role of Eiichiro Kamado, restoring his original appearance. As his beautiful silver hair unfurled, he opened his arms and embraced the sun. Faintly, the tips of his hair were blown by the solar wind, coating them in a dazzling, brilliant layer of "gold"!
I am the sun, I am the sword of the sun, I am the sword that illuminates the world and bestows life to all things... and equally, I am the sword of absolute terror that detonates wantonly, pouring out energy!
Drawing closer, the torrent of particle streams collided and intersected, instantly submerging Roy.
In this split second, countless fusion reactions erupted within his body, playing out inside him, repeatedly branding their marks over and over... ensuring he could never forget it for all eternity!
[Prompt: The host has entered the core of the sun directly. Sensing the sun has yielded insight; the Swordsmanship Intent Domain is condensing...] [Prompt: The Swordsmanship Intent Domain condensation is complete.] [Self-Created Swordsmanship is generating...] [Prompt: Self-Created Swordsmanship generation is complete.] [Atomic Fusion Slash]: Simulates the fusion reaction of the sun's surface. The slash is enchanted with [Nuclear Fusion]. Once the single slash is unleashed, it can trigger a "nuclear explosion," subsequently producing "ultra-high temperatures" and "ultra-high pressures" to decimate the enemy. Note: The yield of the "nuclear explosion" depends on the host's "Aura Volume" and comprehension of "Nen."
Buzz~ "Consciousness" and "body" separated. At the center of the Sun, Roy melted into the fusion reaction in his original appearance... In the Demon Slayer world, within the haze, Roy struggled to his feet using the body of "Eiichiro Kamado." Facing Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai directly, he reached out and made a grasping motion.
Swoosh!
Solar Eclipse flew into his hand!
Following that... it was gripped tightly in Roy's open palm. As he raised his hand again, he swung the "Fusion Slash"—which had been branded in the depths of his consciousness and replayed an unknown number of hundreds of millions of times—gently toward Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai within the haze!
A perfectly straight, thin golden line carrying an infinite amount of light and heat slowly reflected within Yamamoto-Genryūsai's old eyes, which were densely packed with wind, frost, and age.
Instantly, the old man's eyes narrowed. In his shock, his expression turned uniquely solemn. For the first time since crossing through the Gate of Cognition to arrive here, he unleashed his... Shikai!
"Shikai..."
"All things in the universe, turn to ashes. Ryūjin Jakka!"
Clang! An abruptly sharp sword cry shot straight into the heavens!
Ryūjin Jakka was released, his spiritual pressure unleashed, and his white beard swayed majestically... A sword intent an unknown number of times denser than before emerged!
Clang, clang... Having rested for not long, the Nichirin swords belonging to Giyu Tomioka, Gyomei Himejima, Kyojuro Rengoku... and the host of current and former Hashira uncontrollably began to vibrate and turn violent once more!
The expressions of Giyu Tomioka, Gyomei Himejima, and Kyojuro Rengoku all shifted in unison. This time, they directly deployed their Nen Aura, each utilizing every ounce of their strength in Ten to perform a difficult suppression!
"My sword!"
"What is going on?! Again?!"
At Mount Sagiri, Shinsuke and Fukuda let out cries of alarm. Their swords flew out of their grips, leaving them behind in the blink of an eye as they shot toward the horizon. Following that... came Watanabe's, Shimizu's... the swords of the numerous disciples Sakonji Urokodaki had trained, along with the blades of thousands upon thousands of ordinary citizens. Just like before, summoned by the "King of Swords," they flew swoosh swoosh... into the gloomy, heavy dark night.
"Don't pursue!"
"The battle is not over!"
An abrupt, stern shout cut off the figures of Shinsuke, Fukuda, Watanabe, and Shimizu, who wanted to chase their swords deeper into the night.
Giyu Tomioka coated both hands in Ten, his brow deeply furrowed. He intuitively felt that this summons was even more violent than the previous two times. Taking a deep breath, he looked far into the depths of the horizon and spoke.
As his words fell, Sabito and Makomo strained to press down their swords, barely maintaining the blades from flying off, already using every ounce of their strength!
"Giyu is right. What must leave cannot be kept. Wait... and see..." The carving knife in his arms was pressed down tightly by Sakonji Urokodaki. The old man, his temples white, comforted the crowd: "Do not be restless."
Looking up again, alongside Giyu Tomioka, he gazed far toward the horizon, murmuring with no small amount of worry: "Eiichiro..."
At the edge of the horizon, in front of that fractured boulder,
The boy's fiery red long hair draped behind his back. His consciousness was still immersed within the rhythm of the sword intent. Following that, his hand rose and fell, a slice of unconscious comprehension... The boulder behind him began to melt silently...
Buzz~ The thin golden line arrived!
The single slash containing the nuclear fusion lunged in front of Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, detonating instantly!
The old man's white beard was meticulously braided into a twine shape, almost dragging on the ground. At this precise juncture, he delivered an identical backhanded draw!
Shikai: Matsumuri (Torch)!
Whoosh~ A tornado of fire shot straight into the heavens, meeting the explosion head-on!
Only a massive boom echoed out!
Following that,
The earth shook and the mountains trembled!
The sensation of the tremor could be clearly felt even far away in Kyoto, far away at the ancient temple, far away at the Ubuyashiki estate, and even... Roy's home, the nameless mountain where Tanjuro and Kie currently lived with Tanjiro and Nezuko!
"Wahhh..." In the middle of the night, Hanako was frightened by the massive noise and wailed loudly.
The elderly grandmother's eyes snapped open. Reaching out, she gathered the child into her arms, shouting in panic: "Kie, Tanjuro..."
Inside the house, Nezuko,
Kie, who was sewing clothes by the lamp,
Tanjuro, who was sitting in the wooden corridor drinking tea,
And Tanjiro, Takeo, and Shigeru, who were sleeping like dead logs in the side room,
Either pricked their fingers with the needle, tumbled out of bed into a sitting position, threw on their clothes haphazardly, or supported themselves against the corridor pillars as they stood up abruptly. They pushed open their doors in unison, spilling out of the house in a scramble, gathering in the moss-covered fenced courtyard,
Staring at the horizon in shock, terror, and absolute bewilderment!
At this moment... as the earth dragon turned over, a tornado of fire violently enveloped a mushroom-shaped cloud, soaring into the sky. It illuminated the entire night sky a bright crimson. Everyone, including the Kamado family, opened their mouths wide. Those unable to withstand it collapsed to the ground, muttering and gasping from their mouths... appearing as if they had lost their souls!
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