Hum—
Squelch!!
Under Shinichi's watch, the shattered remains of Karaku and Sekido had somehow fused together into a squirming mass of flesh, a sight so revolting for everyone eyes.
"I sense something ominous," Gyomei murmured, his brow furrowing as the veins in his arms bulged, his grip tightening on his massive axe.
The tension in the air was palpable, as if they were about to face a dire threat.
Shinichi too, detected a strange, amplified aura emanating from the fused Karaku and Sekido.
But was this really enough to unsettle Gyomei?
Screeeech!!
A piercing shriek tore through the sky.
Shinichi looked up while Gyomei tilted his head—both instantly locking onto the winged figure hurtling toward them at blinding speed.
They attack without hesitation.
"Forest Breathing, First Form: Iron Birch Slash!"
"Stone Breathing, Second Form: Upper Smash!"
A verdant slash and a roaring meteor hammer shot toward the incoming figure simultaneously.
Kamaro's lips curled into a smirk, his eyes glinting with malice as he suddenly leaped high, crimson threads materializing and coiling around his hands.
"Did you really think it'd be that easy? Blood Demon Art: Kamaro—Thread Wheel!"
Whoosh!
A massive crimson web instantly formed from countless blood-red threads, accurately intercepting and descending upon Shinichi and Gyomei's attacks.
Slash!!
The resilience of the crimson threads surpassed all expectations.
Though Shinichi slashes and Gyomei's smash tore through the web, the momentum of their strikes was completely dissipated, leaving them unable to press forward and slay the demon.
Kamaro didn't fare well either.
His frail body couldn't withstand the residual force of the two powerful Hashiras' attacks, and his hands were utterly crushed by the entangled blood threads.
"Truly Strong" he muttered in admiration, relieved to have blocked the assault.
Kamaro raised his eyes toward the two figures who had nearly converged.
"Now this... this is the true Upper Moon Four."
BOOM!!
Urogi, Sekido, Aizetsu, Karaku!
Joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure—all fused together to form the demon who loathed the world—Zohakuten!
Crack! Crack! Boom! Boom!
The ground beneath them trembled as if struck by an earthquake.
Deep fissures split the earth, and amid the billowing dust, piercing roars could faintly be heard.
"This might be slightly troublesome, Gyomei," Shinichi inhaled slowly, his gaze solemn as he observed the swirling dust ahead.
The glow in his left eye intensified—Forest Breathing, Eighth Form: Whispering Forest Eyes!
"Namu Amida Butsu. No matter who comes, the Demon Slayer Corps will never retreat a single step!" Gyomei declared firmly, his towering figure stepping forward like an unshakable iron fortress, radiating an overwhelming sense of security.
Bam!
A crisp drumbeat rang clearly in their ears.
Immediately afterward, two colossal Wood-Stone Dragons burst through the dust, their mouths gaping in silent roars directed at Shinichi and Gyomei.
Atop one of the dragons stood a slightly shorter figure.
A face brimming with youthful beauty, adorned with fractured patterns across its cheeks, framed a pair of emotionless crimson eyes.
Within those pupils, the engraved characters "Upper Moon" and "Four" exuded an undeniable pressure.
Clad in simple yet elegant attire, a small drum bearing the character "Hatred" rested on its back, while it gripped a bone drumstick in its hand.
This was the true trump card of Upper Moon Four—the strongest demon born from the fusion of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure—Upper Moon Four: Zohakuten!
"You bullies... have you prepared yourselves to die?" Zohakuten sneered down at Shinichi and Gyomei from its perch atop the Wood-Stone Dragon.
"Bullies?" Shinichi nearly laughed aloud.
Hearing such words from an Upper Rank Demon was perhaps the world's greatest joke.
Zohakuten's appearance seemed to serve as a signal.
Soon, several figures swiftly gathered around it.
Daki, Kamaro, Gyutaro.
"Thinking to overwhelm us with numbers? Ridiculous!" Shinichi scoffed through his nose.
But he and Gyomei weren't fighting alone either.
One after another, Sanemi, carrying a blood-stained emerald Nichirin Blade, arrived beside Shinichi alongside Uzui Tengen.
"Trash like you has no skills except running away, but today, I will definitely cut you down!" Sanemi snarled, glaring viciously at Gyutaro.
Tengen was not in good shape.
Aside from multiple wounds and a fractured arm, the poisons in his body were the most lethal.
His vision was even beginning to blur.
"Shinichi, I could use your dazzling assistance right about now. I can't swing my Nichirin Blade if I can't see properly," Tengen said with a hint of helplessness.
As luck would have it, before Shinichi could respond, a tall figure with sharp horns rushed in front of him, carrying a wild boar-masked boy whose chest was stained with blood and whose head hung limply.
'Huh? Nezuko in her Demon Transformation and... Inosuke?' Shinichi was momentarily stunned.
"Shinichi-senpai! Please! Please save Inosuke! He's lost too much blood and has passed out!"
Turning around, Tanjiro and Zenitsu shouted anxiously as they ran toward him, accompanied by a boy who bore a striking resemblance to Sanemi.
"Heh, these kids are really something. I can already see the glorious future of the Demon Slayer Corps," Shinichi couldn't help but chuckle, the tension in his expression melting away, replaced by fierce determination.
Releasing one hand to grip his Nichirin Blade with a single hand, Shinichi raised his head and glared at the several Upper Moon Demons and countless lesser demons eyeing them menacingly.
"The real battle starts now!"
Clang!!
The red-and-green Nichirin Blade plunged deep into the earth as a verdant glow radiated from Shinichi's body, channeling through the blade and into the ground.
An overwhelming surge of life force condensed abruptly.
"Forest Breathing, Ninth Form!"
Bzzz!
In an instant, the earth seemed dyed emerald green.
The immense life force manifested as illusory, swaying willow branches, enveloping everyone around Shinichi.
For a moment, the exhausted fighters felt their bodies lighten, their fatigue and wounds from the battle rapidly alleviating.
The purple marks on Tengen's face faded, and his fractured, deformed left arm gradually regained sensation.
His vision cleared once more.
"Haha, perfect! Thanks, Shinichi. To repay you, let me compose a dazzling festival song with the blood of these demons!"
The unconscious Inosuke twitched his fingers slightly.
Meanwhile, Sanemi shot a sidelong glance at the boy beside him.
Genya looked hesitant, torn between approaching his older brother and holding back.
In response, Sanemi snorted heavily.
"Don't slow us down later! Stay out of the fight against the Upper Moons—you're too weak. Stick with those brats and work together!"
Though the words were cold, Genya didn't mind at all.
Instead, he was overjoyed—his brother hadn't driven him away this time!
Hallelujah!
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