"Shut up..."
"You said Suzune is your whole world, right? So, is this disgusting monster what Suzune looks like in your heart? How should I put this... this little thing looks quite unique!"
"Shut up! A guy like you understands nothing! You can't possibly comprehend the pain and despair I felt when I lost Suzune!"
"Don't get it twisted. I can't be bothered to understand how you feel," Fanma Lingyun raised his Nichirin Heavy Sword, chuckling lightly. "My duty is to protect humans from the jaws of you lot. Although I sympathize with your plight, I still have to cut you down."
"But for those who have committed crimes, I will ensure they pay the proper price. It's that simple!"
No sooner had the words fallen than Fanma Lingyun struck out at the Heart Demon Puppet. He thrust his sword straight toward its throat.
The puppet reacted with equal speed, immediately raising the bone blades on its arms to catch the heavy sword.
Fanma Lingyun's strike was as powerful as a thunderclap, descending like the claw of a giant dragon from the heavens—completely unstoppable.
Yet, the Heart Demon Puppet managed to block the blow. The only cost was a few hairline cracks appearing on its bone blades. It was worth noting that earlier, a mere casual strike from Fanma Lingyun had shattered these same blades into countless fragments.
Clearly, its bone blades had become harder and sharper.
Fanma Lingyun frowned. "Has its strength increased again?"
"Hahaha! You didn't expect that, did you? As long as the resentment in my heart remains, this Heart Demon Puppet will keep regenerating, and its strength will grow in proportion to my anger! Heh heh heh, kid, I'll make you regret angering me just now!"
Boom!
As the voice faded, the three scorpion tails on the puppet's back suddenly extended over ten meters, striking at Fanma Lingyun from above, the left, and the right like spiritual snakes.
"Paltry tricks. Wind Combat Technique: Whirlwind Dance!"
Fanma Lingyun swept his sword horizontally. The resulting airflow easily blew away the three scorpion tails; they were already slender and flexible, offering no resistance against the powerful gale.
However, it didn't end there. After being blown back by the strong wind, the tips of the three scorpion tails suddenly sprayed streams of dark green, corrosive poison, sweeping toward Fanma Lingyun.
"Not good!"
Fanma Lingyun hurriedly used his agile footwork to dodge. The poison was too corrosive; he didn't know if his physically tempered body could withstand it.
He dared not block it with his Nichirin Heavy Sword either. If the heavy sword were corroded, repairing it would be a massive hassle.
Ordinary Nichirin Swords only took swordsmiths fifteen days to forge, but for his Nichirin Heavy Sword, those smiths would need three or four months.
He would die of boredom during that time without a weapon, and the Evil Demons in the Tokyo area were still waiting for him to deal with them.
"I can't let the weapon get damaged. I must end this battle quickly."
"Water Combat Technique: Water Tornado!"
Borrowing the momentum from a kick against the wall, Fanma Lingyun leaped into the air, spinning at high speed as he unleashed his technique to bombard the Heart Demon Puppet.
---
Meanwhile, as Fanma Lingyun and the Heart Demon Puppet were locked in a fierce battle, Tanjiro had already finished evacuating all the guests in the hotel. He was just planning to go assist Fanma Lingyun when...
"Roar, roar, roar!"
Five berserk, hideous Evil Demons suddenly lunged forward, waving sharp claws as they attacked Kaori, determined to wipe her out right then and there.
"Ahhh!!!"
Hearing Kaori's scream, Tanjiro had no choice but to turn back to protect her.
"Hinokami Kagura: Sunflower Thrust!"
Tanjiro accelerated, thrusting his sword forward. His entire body seemed to transform into a streak of scorching fire as he pierced through the heart of one Evil Demon, followed by a front flip to land defensively in front of Kaori.
Upon seeing the faces of the five Evil Demons, Kaori spoke, still shaken to her core.
"I... I know them. They were all patients in our intensive care unit. But I remember clearly—they all died! Even their bodies were cremated."
"Already died? Does that mean they are also puppets created by the mastermind?" Tanjiro muttered. Since the mastermind could create a puppet that looked exactly like Suzune, it followed that he could create puppets of others as well.
"Die, slut! Today is your death date!" one of the Evil Demon puppets roared madly, and the five of them swarmed forward.
"Hinokami Kagura: Blue Heaven!"
Tanjiro continuously unleashed sword forms to engage the five Evil Demon puppets. However, these five were even stronger than the python demon puppet he had encountered earlier. Their comprehensive strength was far above that of average morphed demons!
Moreover, he had to protect Kaori behind him, making it impossible to fight with his full strength.
"Miss Kaori, I'll hold off this group of Evil Demon puppets. You go first!"
"O-Okay..."
Knowing she would only be a burden, Kaori didn't argue. She immediately ran toward the back, wishing she had grown two extra legs.
"Don't run!"
One of the Evil Demon puppets opened its bloody maw and immediately pounced in Kaori's direction.
"Hinokami Kagura: Parhelion Rainbow!"
"I know Miss Kaori did terrible things, but I won't let her die in your jaws!"
Tanjiro's figure flashed, moving as if teleporting to appear instantly in front of the Evil Demon puppet, slashing through its throat with a single strike.
Pfft!
The blade flashed, the head fell, and the Evil Demon puppet instantly turned to ash.
At the same time, the remaining four Evil Demons charged, flanking Tanjiro from the left and right, aiming for his throat to tear him apart.
"Hinokami Kagura: Setting Sun Transformation!"
Tanjiro swung his sword rapidly, unleashing two symmetrical, scorching sword waves. Under Fanma Lingyun's devilish training and attentive guidance, he had become incredibly proficient in the twelve forms of Sun Breathing.
He even understood that the thirteenth form of Sun Breathing was simply connecting the previous twelve forms to create a continuous cycle.
Without the burden of Kaori, Tanjiro handled the situation with ease.
The two slashes roared out, instantly wounding the four Evil Demons. Tanjiro then retreated backward violently before swinging his blade again.
"Hinokami Kagura: Burning Bones, Summer Sun!"
Tanjiro swung his blade with blinding speed, his movements dazzling to the eye. A storm of flame slashes formed a vortex of sword qi, the scorching heat inflicting heavy damage on the four Evil Demons.
And in that instant, he struck again.
"Hinokami Kagura: Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance!"
Moving like a divine dragon swinging its tail, Tanjiro rushed toward the four heavily injured Evil Demon puppets. The scorching Nichirin Sword silently sliced across their throats, wiping them out completely.
After dispatching the four Evil Demon puppets, Tanjiro caught his breath and hurriedly ran toward Kaori. He found her in a dimly lit park, staring blankly at the scene before her.
Tanjiro quickly ran to her side and asked, "Miss Kaori, what are you doing here?"
"I remember now. In our hospital's intensive care unit, there were a total of six patients. Five of them died; they were the prototypes for those five puppets just now. But the last one... he was discharged because he ran out of money for treatment after Suzune committed suicide. And I remember that person had a very good relationship with Suzune!"
"Could that last person be the mastermind?" Tanjiro asked hurriedly. "Miss Kaori, what is his name?"
"I remember his name was... Kinoshita Tatsuya..."
Pfft!
Before her voice could fade, a throwing knife suddenly struck, plunging precisely into Kaori's shoulder, dangerously close to her heart.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]