Hum~
A faint green glow shimmered along the blade of Shinichi's Nichirin Sword, while the deep wound on his chest healed rapidly.
Forest Breathing alone couldn't achieve this—but the faint crimson light emanating from Shinichi's right eye revealed the reason.
However, concealed by his uniform, no one noticed the abnormal speed of his recovery.
His sword hand still tingled with numbness, yet he hadn't even glimpsed the moment his opponent struck.
The sheer power behind Upper Rank One—Kokushibo's single slash left Shinichi inwardly awestruck.
'He's... incredibly strong!'
In terms of sheer oppressive presence, Kokushibo before him was even more terrifying than Muzan, the progenitor of demons.
Though perhaps Muzan had never fully unleashed his true strength.
Not daring to lower his guard, Shinichi swiftly drew his Nichirin shortsword from his waist.
Crossing both blades, he crouched slightly, steeling himself for a life-or-death struggle.
No matter what, he had to give his all—otherwise, every Demon Slayer present today would be annihilated.
Facing Shinichi's prepared stance, Kokushibo's six eyes showed little fluctuation.
Instead, they tilted slightly upon noticing the glow radiating from Shinichi's blade.
A deep, authoritative voice coming from Kokushibo's lips.
"A green Breathing Technique... Most intriguing. Among the Breathing Techniques I've encountered, this seems to stand uniquely apart. Forest Breathing, is it?"
"You remind me of a certain Forest Breathing swordsman from long ago. I had assumed this fascinating style had died out... Yet today, I witness it once more."
Shinichi's expression darkened.
He knew exactly who Kokushibo was referring to—and it only fueled his fury.
He retorted coldly, "More than just witness it. Today, a Forest Breathing swordsman will sever your head!"
"Confidence without strength is mere arrogance," Kokushibo remarked coolly, his hand slowly gripping the hilt of his blade.
The purple hilt was engraved with sinister eye patterns, while the scabbard resembled twisted, flesh-like tendrils—clearly a demonic weapon.
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion suddenly tore through the air!
A silver streak of light erupted from behind Kokushibo, carrying an overwhelming force capable of annihilating everything in its path.
"Moon Breathing·Eighth Form: Moon-Dragon Tail!"
A massive crimson blade wave, accompanied by countless crescent-shaped slashes, surged like a tidal wave, precisely intercepting the silver streak from behind.
BANG!!
The two colossal forces collided with an earth-shaking impact, sending the silver streak rebounding.
Kokushibo now saw that the attack had come from a massive steel meteor hammer.
"Gyomei!" Shinichi was equally stunned.
Behind Kokushibo stood Himejima Gyomei, gripping a massive axe with chains wrapped around his arms.
However, Gyomei's expression was graver than ever before.
"Shinichi! Don't act recklessly! This demon is extremely powerful. We must hold nothing back—attack together!" Gyomei shouted.
In a life-or-death battle, there was no room for fair duels.
The Demon Slayer Corps' mission was simply to slay demons, not adhere to the rigid traditions of samurai honor.
Instantly, Shinichi understood Gyomei's meaning.
Above all, they couldn't let Kokushibo interfere in other battles!
"Forest Breathing·Seventh Form: Wood Dragon Slash!"
Without hesitation, Shinichi leaped high with his Nichirin Blade in hand.
A surge of vibrant life energy coalesced into a roaring dragon, slashing toward Kokushibo.
Simultaneously, Himejima Gyomei launched his attack.
His muscular arms bulged with veins as the hundred-pound meteor hammer and axe spun rapidly in his hands, stirring up hurricane-like gusts.
"Stone Breathing·Fourth Form: Volcanic Rock·Rapid Conquest!"
Pincer-struck from front and back, the Forest Hashira and Stone Hashira launched a coordinated assault.
Even as Upper Rank One, Kokushibo had to take this joint attack from two immensely powerful Hashira seriously.
After millennia of honing his swordsmanship through countless battles, Kokushibo's mastery of the blade and reaction speed had reached a terrifying level.
His flesh-toned blade, seemingly imbued with endless resentment, was raised swiftly.
The blood-eye patterns covering the blade appeared almost alive, rolling and shifting incessantly.
"Moon Breathing·Fifth Form: Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy!"
Kokushibo's body spun continuously, unleashing wave after wave of crimson crescent slashes in a spiraling vortex, each containing countless smaller crescent strikes.
Soon, the roaring emerald dragon and the hurricane-like onslaught of the meteor hammer and axe clashed violently with Kokushibo's crescent slashes.
The resulting shockwaves carved a massive vacuum circle through the ruins of the red-light district.
....
Meanwhile, the other Hashiras and Upper Moons had also plunged into their own blood battles.
His legs sprinted rapidly, the short white haori fluttering in the wind as Sanemi deftly dodged the attacks of the massive wooden dragon stones, steadily closing in on Zohakuten.
When evasion was impossible, the green Nichirin Blade in his hands would unleash one wind slash after another, cutting down everything that stood in his path.
"With that ugly face, you look like nothing but a bully who preys on the weak. Die already!" Zohakuten's face twisted with disgust as he simultaneously struck the small drums on his back with both drumsticks.
Boom! Boom!
Two crisp sounds echoed, and the two enormous wooden dragon stones suddenly came to life.
No longer mindlessly snapping at Sanemi, they instead opened their massive jaws wide, aiming directly at him.
In an instant.
Zzzzt!!
Roar!!
Endless lightning and terrifying sound waves surged toward Sanemi like a tidal wave.
"Huh?! So you're not just mindless biting beast? Perfect! I wasn't interested in such simple opponents anyway! Bring it on!" Sanemi's speed was incredible, allowing him to dodge the lightning and sonic attacks with his agile footwork.
But just as he was about to land, the ground beneath him suddenly gave way!
A wooden dragon stone that had lain in ambush burst from the earth, its maw large enough to swallow a carriage whole, poised to devour Sanemi in one bite.
"Hmph! Wind Breathing, Ninth Form: Idaten Typhoon!"
Countless wind blades spiraled into existence, lifting Sanemi's body into the air.
As he ascended, the wind blades shredded the wooden dragon stone into countless splinters.
...
"Sound Breathing, Fourth Form: Constant Resounding Slashes!"
Though lacking the flashy explosions of his usual bombs, Tengen's dual Nichirin cleavers still unleashed tremendous force, clashing violently with Gyutaro's crimson sickle.
....
"Damn brat! Get out of my way!!" Daki shrieked furiously, but the only response from the horned Nezuko was a powerful, bone-crushing kick.
"Haah... haah... haah! There's... too many of them!"
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