The two of them struggled against each other.
Akaza didn't dare loosen the grip of his right hand. If he did, Aoyama 's Nichirin Blade would slice through his neck instantly. Meanwhile, his left arm was being held tightly and couldn't move.
He had to kill Aoyama immediately—then escape before the sun rose over this open ground.
Aoyama clenched the demon's left arm tightly, preventing it from reaching his heart, while his sword hand remained firm.
As long as he held Akaza here…
Even if he couldn't decapitate him directly, keeping him from escaping would be enough.
The sunlight would finish the job.
The sky slowly grew brighter.
Akaza failed to kill Aoyama as he intended. Instead, the situation was becoming increasingly disadvantageous for him.
The sun was about to rise.
His fingernails had already pierced the skin over Aoyama 's heart, but pushing deeper suddenly became extremely difficult.
If he exerted more force with his left hand, the strength of his right hand holding back the Nichirin Blade would weaken—and the blade would cut deeper into his flesh.
He couldn't take that risk.
Two choices stood before him.
The first—stab through Aoyama 's heart with all his strength. But the Nichirin Blade would instantly slice off his own head in return.
They would die together.
But how could he accept death?!
The second—abandon killing Aoyama and escape immediately.
The sun was about to rise.
Meanwhile, Inosuke, who had previously refused to interfere, saw an opportunity.
Holding his twin swords, he glanced at the fallen Tanjiro.
"Little brother, your boss is going to avenge you!"
Seeing the boy with the boar mask charging toward him, Akaza realized he had no more time.
He had to escape.
"Let go, Aoyama ! Or you'll die!"
Akaza said as his left hand pushed forward slightly.
In truth, he was bluffing.
If Aoyama loosened his grip even slightly, he would break free and flee immediately.
"I told you," Aoyama said calmly with a faint smile, "between the two of us… I'm definitely not the one who'll die."
Seeing the boar-masked boy rushing closer, Akaza gritted his teeth.
With a violent motion—
He tore his own left arm off.
Aoyama 's left hand suddenly held only a severed limb.
He immediately swung his sword down, but Akaza blocked the strike with his right arm.
The blade failed to reach his neck.
Instead, it severed the arm he used to escape.
Akaza immediately dashed toward the forest.
The sunlight was already reaching his back.
He had to run faster.
Aoyama started to chase him, but his chest tightened suddenly.
A metallic sweetness filled his mouth as blood dripped from his lips.
Akaza's earlier Blood Demon Art—Destructive Death: Demon Core Eightfold—had not struck him directly, but the shockwaves had still injured him.
Inosuke scrambled to his feet and ran to the edge of the forest, shouting furiously.
"Hey! You coward! Why are you running?! The fight isn't over yet!"
"Aoyama -senpai!"
Tanjiro struggled up from the ground and rushed forward.
Aoyama wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"I'm fine."
Hearing the shouting behind him, Akaza glanced back.
Was that boar-headed idiot brainless?
He was escaping because of the sunlight.
If there had been no sunlight, he could have continued fighting and eventually killed Aoyama —and everyone else.
Still…
Rengoku had suffered fatal injuries.
A human body couldn't recover from such wounds.
In the end, the victor would still be him.
Tanjiro ran into the forest after him, shouting angrily.
"You coward! Don't run away!"
"What kind of warrior are you?!"
"We Demon Slayers always fight in the night—your advantage! We're made of flesh and blood! When we're injured, we can't regenerate like you!"
"You running away like this… you coward!"
By the end of his shouting, Tanjiro collapsed to the ground, crying bitterly.
His eyes were damaged.
Rengoku had suffered severe injuries.
Aoyama was coughing blood.
The sudden breakdown left everyone stunned.
Aoyama walked over and placed a hand on Tanjiro's shoulder.
Tanjiro looked up, choking back sobs.
"Rengoku… his body… and his eye…"
He couldn't finish the sentence.
"It's fine," Aoyama said gently. "Rengoku will be okay. His eye will recover too. Trust me."
Tanjiro shook his head through tears.
He didn't believe it.
He had already checked.
Even if Rengoku's body could be treated… his eye was permanently damaged.
It couldn't heal.
Suddenly Aoyama froze.
The sun had risen.
Where was Nezuko?!
Alarm flashed through his mind as he quickly turned around.
Zenitsu was walking over from the overturned train, carrying the wooden box on his back.
He gave them an awkward smile.
When he realized the sun was about to rise, he had rushed Nezuko into the overturned carriage and retrieved the box for her to hide inside.
The panic in Aoyama 's chest finally subsided.
Rengoku sat on the ground, controlling his bleeding through breathing techniques.
A relieved smile appeared on his face.
Although Akaza had escaped, none of the passengers on the train had died.
That meant he had fulfilled his duty.
While everyone gathered around Rengoku, Aoyama quietly reached into the system space and took out a Regeneration Potion.
"Drink this," he said. "Your body will recover. Your eye too."
Rengoku looked at the small white porcelain bottle in Aoyama 's hand.
He knew the severity of his own injuries.
Could such a miraculous medicine really exist?
Seeing his hesitation, Aoyama urged him.
"Hurry. If you wait any longer, your body won't hold on."
Rengoku accepted the bottle and drank the colorless, tasteless liquid in one gulp.
The potion flowed down his throat into his body.
Warmth spread instantly.
The wounded areas of his body began to heal rapidly—he could feel the cells regenerating.
Even his damaged eye gradually regained its vision.
"Ah—"
Rengoku opened his mouth in shock and looked up at Aoyama .
Tanjiro, who had refused to believe moments ago, stared at the completely recovered Rengoku in disbelief.
He slowly turned his head toward Aoyama .
Just how many secrets did this senior of his still possess?
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