"Yoizumi-nii, his drums can control the movement of the room, and the one in the middle will launch claw-mark-like attacks! Please be careful!" After informing Yoizumi about the demon's abilities, Tanjirou charged towards the demon.
"Bang bang bang!"
Turn left, turn right, attack!
After dodging each attack, Tanjirou looked at Yoizumi, who landed steadily on the ground. As expected of Yoizumi-nii! He adapted quickly.
His cold eyes fixed on Kyogai.
Seeing Yoizumi's arrogant demeanor, Kyogai was reminded of memories of being ridiculed, looked down upon, and having his works trampled on.
Gritting his teeth, he *must* eat that rare blood! If so... if so...
"I must return to the Twelve Kizuki!"
His eye sockets, which were originally crimson and devoid of eyeballs, now showed eyes where the Lower Rank mark had been erased. Becoming one of the Twelve Kizuki would ensure no one would ever mock him again!
"Annoying insects, just die!"
He rapidly struck all the drums on his body, and the room spun wildly, countless sheets of paper scattering and floating in the air.
"Ah!" Tanjirou flipped in the air; an attack was coming! He couldn't dodge in this position! His collar was grabbed, and Yoizumi used the momentum in the air to fling Tanjirou aside. Seizing this opening, Tanjirou pushed off with force and flew towards Kyogai again.
"Die! Die!" The speed of his drumming accelerated, Kyogai's hands were just blurs!
No! Dodging the attacks again and again, looking disheveled, the claw marks increased from three to five. However, when he launched an attack, there was a musty smell, which he could detect. But this way, he couldn't get close to Kyogai. He had to find a way to get close to his core to kill him!
Yoizumi, inverted in the air, his golden hair flying freely, looked at Kyogai with his blue eyes. If the demon only had this attack method, he could simply cut off its hands, and it wouldn't be able to resist anymore.
"Tanjirou, find a way to get close to him. I'll make sure he can't use his abilities anymore."
Can he do it? No, I must believe in Yoizumi-nii!
Closer, closer, how can I get closer? Right now, just dodging the attacks is already difficult enough.
A shadow suddenly fell before him. Was it paper?
Tanjirou's eyes suddenly widened. That's it! Why not be like paper?
Paper is light, but with a little wind in the air, it can fly higher and farther. He needed to slow his breathing, make it long and steady, and imagine himself as a leaf floating in a stream.
Concentrate! See the direction of every room rotation!
Total Concentration! Water Breathing, Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow, Turbulent!
Fine splashes of water erupted beneath Tanjirou's feet, as if he were gliding on water, leaving faint blue afterimages as he moved. He moved swiftly through the rotating room, his light footwork allowing him to dodge several attacks.
He's getting close!
On the other side, Yoizumi grasped an object, his body rotating with the room. His eyes closed, he sensed the demon's movements.
Now!
He extended his hand and, without hesitation, activated Blood Demon Art: Air Raid.
The insubstantial blades precisely sliced off Kyogai's arms.
Kyogai's bloodshot eyes widened. His hands were severed!
He saw Tanjirou about to reach him.
"Kyogai! Your Blood Demon Art is amazing!"
Water Breathing, Sixth Form: Whirlpool.
Tanjirou used his waist to twist his upper body, forming a vortex-like attack. He spiraled through the air and, with one strike, severed Kyogai's head.
The head rolled to the ground, and the body collapsed.
Is my Blood Demon Art amazing? Kyogai's eyes filled with tears; it was the first time anyone had affirmed him.
The room stopped spinning, and Tanjirou landed, gasping for breath, looking happily at Yoizumi.
"Yoizumi-nii! We succeeded!"
Before the demon dissipated, Tanjirou still collected its blood. Although Lady Tamayo said Yoizumi-nii's blood was very useful, it was still necessary to have other demon blood just in case.
"Meow~" A small cat suddenly appeared before the two. It must be the cat Mr. Yushiro mentioned.
After placing the collected blood into the cloth pouch on the cat's body, Yoizumi stared at the tiny creature. He crouched down and reached out to stroke the head with its soft fur.
The kitten rubbed against his bony fingers, "Meow," then vanished from their sight.
Seeing this, Tanjirou wondered if Yoizumi-nii liked cats. He asked him.
"..."
"I don't know," Yoizumi wasn't sure, but he didn't dislike the fluffy feeling.
"Let's go get those two children." Yoizumi walked out of the room. Tanjirou acknowledged with a "Okay" and followed him.
Tanjirou, guided by scent, found the children's room. He opened the door, and an object flew towards him, which he narrowly dodged. Another immediately followed; just as it was about to hit his head, Yoizumi reached out and caught the flying book.
"Why are you throwing things?"
He patted his chest, still shaken, and walked into the room to look at the two children.
Kiyoshi and Teruko awkwardly put down the items in their hands, their faces apologetic. "Sorry, because the drums suddenly disappeared, we got confused."
"Is that so? Well, that's great, you're both safe!"
Everything was over. Teruko pouted; after all, being so young and experiencing such events, she only now started to cry. Tanjirou gently stroked her head, comforting her.
"It's alright now, let's go home."
Kiyoshi took his sister's hand. Tanjirou extended his hand to Kiyoshi; that hand, thick with calluses, wasn't ugly, but rather possessed a reassuring strength. His not-so-large palm enveloped Kiyoshi's hand, leading the two children away from there.
Yoizumi followed the group step by step. Tanjirou looked back, "Yoizumi-nii, hurry up!"
He paused, then lengthened his strides to walk alongside Tanjirou... "We're out!!"
"We're finally out!! The outside world is truly wonderful!"
Agatsuma Zenitsu, seeing the light again, shouted excitedly. Although he didn't know why he suddenly flew out from the second floor, it was truly wonderful to be out!
"Shoichi! We both survived!"
Shoichi, however, still gazed worriedly at the house. He was out, but his older brother and sister were still inside, and he didn't know if they were safe or in danger.
"You're not thinking of going back in, are you? No! We just got out!"
"Kiyoshi-nii and Teruko are still inside, and Big Brother hasn't come out either. Mr. Zenitsu, are you only thinking of yourself?" Shoichi looked at Agatsuma Zenitsu, who was still celebrating his survival. He had saved him, and Shoichi was very grateful, but even a child understood this principle, so why didn't Mr. Zenitsu?
"It's alright now, the demon's sounds have all disappeared. Tanjirou and the others will definitely come out." Even hearing these words, Agatsuma Zenitsu didn't get angry. He knew he was just that kind of person; he was very timid, and just surviving had taken all his effort.
"Eh! Is that so? I'm sorry, Mr. Zenitsu, for saying such things." Shoichi looked ashamed, lowering his head to apologize.
"It's nothing, it's nothing!" He was often told such things, so he was used to it. His ears were very sensitive; he could even hear people talking while he was asleep, which sometimes made others dislike him.
"By the way, why were you inside, Shoichi? Didn't I tell you not to go in?" Agatsuma Zenitsu only remembered this after calming down.
"Because the box Big Brother left kept making noise, and then someone came out. Teruko and I were too scared, so we went to look for you," Shoichi pointed at the wooden box not far away.
"Someone came out?" Agatsuma Zenitsu exclaimed, covering his mouth.
"Yes, after that person came out, the box was still making noise."
Clinging tightly to Shoichi, Agatsuma Zenitsu nervously stared at the wooden box.
"But Big Brother said there's something more important than life inside," Shoichi pushed away the person clinging to him; tears were about to get on his clothes again.
Something more important than life?
What could it possibly be?
Agatsuma Zenitsu released Shoichi, his yellow eyes staring blankly at the wooden box. He found it hard to imagine anything more important than life; for him, life was the most important thing.
Beyond that, there was nothing else.
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