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'Looks like I've got no choice. Time to use that technique!'
"Dragon Breathing, Tenth Form: Ultimate Art—Judgment Slash!"
(PS: Basically Devil May Cry Vergil's Judgement Cut End)
The system-granted Final Form—the strongest offensive technique in Dragon Breathing. Ten consecutive strikes, each one devastating. And as his strength grew, so would the power of each slash.
Kaidō locked onto Doma. He lowered his stance, raised his greatsword, and pointed the blade forward. His presence vanished—breath, aura, killing intent, all suppressed to nothing. Then he exploded forward at blinding speed!
"So fast!"
Doma couldn't track him. Kaidō's movements were too erratic, his position impossible to predict.
SCHLICK!
Doma's left arm flew off. Before he could react—
SCHLICK!
Both legs severed. He collapsed to his knees.
The third strike came for his neck—but after the grueling battle, Kaidō's stamina was nearly depleted. The blade only cut halfway through.
'Not enough! Just a little more—I have to decapitate him!'
As the fourth strike approached, pure survival instinct screamed through Doma's mind. Kaidō's trajectory was completely unpredictable—impossible to anticipate where the next attack would come from.
"Blood Demon Art: Rime—Water Lily Bodhisattva!"
Doma's ultimate technique. A colossal ice statue materialized—a seated Buddha with hands pressed together in prayer. A single sweep of its hand carried devastating force, and it continuously released wide-area poisoned ice fog.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The remaining strikes from Judgment Slash hammered into the ice Buddha, but only managed to create hairline fractures across its surface.
"Kugh—guh!" Completely exhausted, Kaidō coughed up more blood as the technique ended. Only his greatsword planted in the ground kept him upright.
"Oh my! I didn't expect you to be this impressive! But it's all pointless, you know? Look—all the damage you caused? Already healed! Now it's my turn to send you off, to grant you salvation! Blood Demon Art—"
"Phantom Eye!"
At the critical moment, Kaidō activated Phantom Eye. The mental assault hit Doma directly, stunning him for precious seconds.
'In my current state, Phantom Eye can only stun him for a few seconds. But that's all I need!'
"Dragon Breathing, Ninth Form: Cyclone Pierce!"
The high-speed drilling assault shattered through the ice Buddha and punched clean through Doma's body.
"Dragon Breathing, Third Form: Divine Dragon's Tail!"
The moment the pierce ended, Kaidō pivoted and unleashed a horizontal slash aimed at Doma's neck from behind.
"CUT THROUGH, DAMN IT!" He roared, veins bulging in his arms as he put every ounce of remaining strength into the swing.
SCHLICK!
Doma's head flew off—but Kaidō had reached his absolute limit. Using Phantom Eye followed by two more Forms back-to-back had pushed his body and mind past the breaking point.
"Oh my! You actually decapitated me! How impressive!"
'HUH??' Kaidō looked down at the severed head on the ground and understood immediately.
It wasn't Doma's real head—it was an ice puppet. Doma had created a perfect replica of himself early in the fight and switched places, probably when he'd summoned the ice Buddha.
"You're the second swordsman who's lasted this long against me. Truly worthy of being a Hashira. Now then—time for your salvation."
"Blood Demon Art: Withering Frozen Garden!"
Doma swung his iron fans in a nine-strike combo infused with frost, all aimed at Kaidō. Kaidō summoned his last scrap of strength, swinging his greatsword to block—but exhaustion made him too slow. He only managed to deflect part of the assault. The remaining strikes sent him flying backward into a dead tree.
His greatsword was knocked away, landing several meters distant. His fox mask shattered into pieces, revealing his blood-soaked face.
CRACK!
He heard—no, felt—something in his back break.
'Is this... it?'
"Guh!" More blood.
The sky began to lighten. Dawn was breaking.
"Hm? Oh, it's morning already! Well, I suppose I'll stop playing with you. You really were quite entertaining! I'll come save you properly next time!"
TWANG!
A biwa note rang out from behind Doma. A door materialized. Still smiling, Doma stepped through and vanished.
"Kugh, kugh... heh... heh heh... I'm such an idiot." Kaidō's laugh was bitter and self-deprecating.
He pulled an Enhanced Longevity Pill from his system inventory and swallowed it. The ice poison slowly dissipated from his system—but the physical injuries remained. The pill only neutralized negative status effects like poison or curses. It couldn't heal broken bones or torn flesh. For that, he'd need something like a Healing Pill.
After fighting Doma all night, his body was shredded. Too many wounds, too much damage. Overwhelming exhaustion crashed over him. He couldn't hold on any longer.
His back against the dead tree, Kaidō slowly slid down into a sitting position. His eyes drifted closed.
...
Obanai Iguro arrived at the battlefield and froze. The scene was carnage—shattered ice and blood everywhere.
He rushed to Kaidō's side, crouching down. The younger Hashira was covered in wounds, face painted with blood. Whatever battle had taken place here, it had been brutal.
'If I'd arrived sooner, he wouldn't have suffered this much.'
"Kaidō! Wake up! Are you okay?? Come on, wake up!" If not for the faint rise and fall of Kaidō's chest, Obanai would've assumed he was dead. After all, no Hashira had ever survived an encounter with an Upper Rank.
Hearing someone call his name, Kaidō's eyes cracked open. His voice came out hoarse and ragged. "Kugh, kugh... Obanai... kugh... sorry. I'm... too weak. Couldn't... hold him. Let him... escape."
"Stop talking! The Kakushi are on their way to treat you. Just rest!"
Kyojuro Rengoku arrived moments later, taking in the scene. "How is young Kaidō?"
"Severely injured. He needs immediate medical attention."
Soon the Kakushi arrived, performed emergency field treatment, placed Kaidō on a stretcher, and departed.
Obanai watched them go, voice quiet. "To think he fought an Upper Rank for an entire night. AN UPPER RANK. Not even we Hashira have encountered one before."
"Mm! Truly worthy of young Kaidō!" Rengoku's voice boomed with respect. "We should report this to the Master immediately. As for intelligence about the Upper Rank—we'll ask young Kaidō for details once he's recovered."
"Agreed."
...
Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters
Kuroha was broadcasting the news across the compound.
"CAW CAW! Dragon Hashira Ryūjin Kaidō repelled Upper Rank demon! Severely injured! Severely injured! CAW!"
Hearing this, Kagaya Ubuyashiki felt shock followed immediately by concern. "How is that child? What's his current condition?"
"Severely injured. Transported to Butterfly Mansion for treatment and recovery. CAW." Kuroha reported.
"That poor child... to endure such a battle and survive—I'm so relieved. I hope my beloved child recovers swiftly." Kagaya's relief was palpable. He considered every member of the Corps his child. That one of his children had survived an Upper Rank encounter was miraculous.
"Amane, inform the other Hashira. Convene a Hashira meeting."
"Yes, dear."
...
"Where... am I? Why does this look so familiar?"
Kaidō woke to find himself staring at a familiar ceiling. He sat up—he was lying in a bed.
"Wait... this is my room. My old room. Why am I here? Was everything before just a dream?"
He looked around, completely confused.
"Honey! You're finally awake! You scared me so badly—you've been unconscious for over two weeks! I thought you'd never wake up again! Sob sob..."
A beautiful young woman appeared in the doorway. Seeing Kaidō awake, she rushed over and pulled his head against her chest. Soft warmth enveloped him.
"Reika! What are you doing here?? And what's going on? Why are you calling me 'honey'??" Kaidō was utterly bewildered.
The woman before him was his adopted sister—the one his parents had taken in.
"Honey, don't scare me! Have you forgotten? You were in a car accident and rushed to the hospital. The doctors said you suffered head trauma and fell into a coma—they didn't know when you'd wake up. And I'm calling you 'honey' because we've been married for over a year! Did you really forget everything?"
"Married? I... why can't I remember anything? Ngh—why does my head hurt so much??"
"Are you okay??" Reika gently stroked his head, her voice full of concern. "Don't push yourself. As long as we're together, that's all that matters. Even if you've forgotten everything, I'll always be by your side!"
"Kaidō! You're awake! Thank goodness, thank goodness!" Kaidō's mother heard the commotion and rushed upstairs. Seeing her son conscious, joy overwhelmed her. For the past two weeks, she'd been terrified he'd never open his eyes again. She embraced both her daughter and son tightly.
'If all of this is real, how wonderful would that be? If this is just a dream... I wish I never had to wake up. But...'
'But I still have things I need to finish. This is just a dream. How could anything in a dream be real? So that I can see you both again for real one day, I have to...'
Tears streamed down his face.
"I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry, Reika. I made you worry."
Feeling the warmth of home again—but knowing it was only a dream.
"It's okay, sweetheart. As long as you're alright, nothing else matters." His mother's voice was thick with emotion.
"That's right, honey! Even if you lost your memory, I'll always stay with you—I'll always be by your side!" Reika sobbed.
'Even dreams must end. But this brief reunion, this fleeting moment together—I'm grateful for it. I believe the day will come when this becomes reality. Soon.'
These thoughts he kept locked inside. He wouldn't speak them aloud. This was a dream, yes—but he didn't want to shatter it. He just wanted to savor this precious, temporary reunion.
"System, are you there?"
[Ding! Host, I'm here.]
"Why is this dream happening? And how do I wake up?"
[This dream manifests from Host's subconscious—it is born from your deepest attachment.]
[Host can awaken by activating Phantom Eye. However... are you certain you wish to do so? Isn't this what you've always wanted to see?]
"Better a short pain than a long one. This brief separation is just preparation for a permanent reunion later."
[Understood. Once Host activates Phantom Eye, the system will automatically preserve this moment in time.]
"Thank you, System."
To avoid destroying this warm, peaceful moment, Kaidō thought silently: 'Phantom Eye.'
[Preserving... preservation in progress... preservation complete.]
...
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