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'Hm? An explosion over there! Looks like trouble. Better get over there fast!' Kaidō activated sword flight and shot toward the blast site.
"Well, things are never that simple, are they?" Seeing Gyutaro and Daki wrapped in obi like cocoons, Kaidō wasn't surprised at all.
The obi unwrapped gradually. Gyutaro emerged with Daki on his back. "You're different~ Very different from the other Hashira I've killed. You were born special, weren't you? You have talent? I'm so jealous! Could you please die in agony??"
"Talent? Hahaha! Do I LOOK talented to you? If someone at my level makes you think they're gifted, then congratulations—you're living in a bubble!"
"What's the point of living hundreds of years if you're hiding in a place like this, completely out of touch with reality? This country is massive. Strong people are everywhere."
"There are guys with unfathomable skill. Guys who became Hashira in less than two months of holding a sword. Guys with incredible abilities and mastery of Eastern secret techniques."
"Me, chosen? Don't make me laugh! You know how many people have died by my hand??"
"Then how do you explain the poison in your body? My blood sickles are poisoned! Why haven't you died yet~??"
"I'm from a shinobi clan. Your poison doesn't mean jack to me!"
"Shinobi went extinct during the Edo period! You're lying!" Daki shot back.
But Gyutaro noticed Tengen's labored breathing, the sweat pouring down his face. Understanding dawned.
"Hehehe~ I see. The poison IS working. You're just toughing it out! Your condition is terrible right now,"
"Haha! I feel great! Want me to dance for you? I could eat a hundred bowls of tempura right now!"
WHOOSH!
He charged forward with both blades, slashing at Gyutaro. The demon dodged. Tengen immediately pivoted and kicked Daki—who was clinging to Gyutaro's back—sending her flying.
"DON'T KICK MY SISTER!"
"Bastard!"
Tengen hurled several more bombs. Daki's obi intercepted them, triggering explosions that severed her head again.
Capitalizing on the opening, Tengen whipped his blade forward—the Nichirin sword extending via chain toward Gyutaro's neck.
'Specialized gunpowder that damages demons. The slightest friction triggers an explosion. My idiot sister touched them without thinking. I'll make this guy regret—wait, what??'
Gyutaro hadn't expected the blade to extend. Then he realized—Tengen was gripping the chain connecting both swords, swinging the blade tip like a whip.
'What terrifying grip strength!'
CLANG!
He swung his blood sickles frantically, deflecting the strike.
"WAAHHH! My head got cut off AGAIN! Unforgivable! Bastard!!"
"I hate this! I hate this! Why?? Why do I keep getting beheaded??" Daki sat on the ground, pounding the floor, screaming with frustration.
"So you've figured it out?"
"Figured out what?"
"Even if you have, you're about to die anyway..."
"YAHAHA! Don't count on it! You forgot about me—Inosuke—and my sidekick!"
Inosuke and Zenitsu appeared in the doorway. Moments later, Tanjiro descended from above—though his condition was poor, left arm bound in makeshift bandages securing his blade.
'So strong! The air reeks of danger! Why are there two demons now?? Is the male the real body?? That paralysis in my throat is overwhelming!'
As Tanjiro processed the situation, Kaidō arrived.
CRASH!
A thunderous landing between them all.
Kaidō assessed the scene, then looked at Tengen. His brow furrowed. "Tengen, you're poisoned?"
"Tengen-san is poisoned??" Tanjiro finally noticed—the wounds on Tengen's body had turned purple-black. The toxin was spreading.
"Chiko?? So it's you! Big brother, this is the one who destroyed my pantry! He's also a Hashira! And he—"
SLASH!
A flash of crimson light. Daki's head flew off once more, landing in her own lap. Tengen barely registered Kaidō lifting his greatsword. But Gyutaro had seen the attack—impossibly fast, leaving only blurred afterimages.
"Huh? AHHHHH! I got beheaded again! Why does everyone love cutting my head off? WHY? BASTARD!"
"Keep whining and next time it won't be your head—I'll chop you into mincemeat!" Kaidō's voice was merciless.
He retrieved a [Longevity Pill] from system storage and handed it to Tengen.
"Swallow this. It'll neutralize the poison."
Tengen didn't hesitate—he downed the pill immediately.
"It's pointless! My poison has no antidote! Even if..." Gyutaro's words died in his throat as he watched the toxin dissipate from Tengen's body. His face burned with humiliation.
"Even if you can cure my poison, so what?? My sister and I have eaten fifteen and seven Hashira respectively! Hehehe! Soon you'll all become our food! You're so beautiful—my sister will definitely love eating you!"
"Yeah! You look delicious! I just realized you're male, but I'll still enjoy devouring you! Hahaha!" Daki chimed in.
Rage ignited in Kaidō's chest. Hearing how many Hashira these two had consumed filled him with grief and fury.
'Kaidō-san is angry... the scent is terrifying!' Tanjiro's instincts screamed danger.
"Why... do you trample on life??"
"Huh??" Hearing those words triggered the same visions that had plagued Daki during her fight with Tanjiro. The images flooded both demons' minds.
"What's funny? What's amusing?"
"What do you think human lives are?"
"Why don't you understand? Why did you forget?"
Kaidō didn't notice—as he spoke, his grip on the greatsword tightened. Veins bulged across his hands. The blade's blood-red hue faded, transforming into brilliant crimson.
The Crimson Blade emerged.
"But what makes me even angrier—you hurt my junior brother and my little sister Nezuko. Gyutaro, I won't let you die quickly!"
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!"
'So fast! This guy...'
Gyutaro could only see afterimages trailing Kaidō's movements. He couldn't distinguish the real body from the illusions.
SLASH!
Both of Gyutaro's arms were severed at the shoulders. An intense burning sensation flooded through him—the wounds refused to regenerate.
"Gyutaro, listen closely. I'm going to make you feel every ounce of suffering those dead Hashira experienced. I'll return it to you a thousand—no, ten thousand times over!"
[Mark—activate.]
[Transparent World—activate.]
"Dragon Breathing, First Form: Dragon's Breath!"
The greatsword floated behind him, controlled by psychic force. Kaidō charged forward with his bare fists. After fully absorbing dragon blood, his body had reached its peak. Upper Rank Six was no match.
"Big brother!!" Seeing Gyutaro being beaten, Daki unleashed her obi.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
Zenitsu had been ready. Lightning erupted as he collided with Daki, both crashing through the ceiling.
"Zenitsu!"
"Tanjiro! You and Inosuke go help Zenitsu! Leave this to me and Kaidō!" Tengen ordered.
"Yes, Tengen-san!"
"YAHAHA! Follow me! Let's take down that ribbon-worm!"
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"Those people who lost their lives!"
WHAM!
"They'll never come back!"
WHAM!
Kaidō punctuated every sentence with a devastating punch to Gyutaro's body. The demon was completely overwhelmed—utterly defenseless.
"Damn you! What did you do to me? Why can't I regenerate??" Gyutaro roared, humiliation burning through him.
"Ask Muzan—that coward—yourself!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A kick sent Gyutaro flying through a wall into the street.
Kaidō walked slowly to where Gyutaro lay, then stomped his head into the pavement—face down.
"Your past was tragic. Your sister's too. But you've spent your existence making others MORE miserable than yourselves because of YOUR pain. That kind of behavior? It pisses me off!!"
The cruelty Gyutaro and Daki had inflicted after becoming demons reminded Kaidō of his past life. Back when his father was alive, before his adoptive sister joined his family—he'd been bullied at school. Mocked, beaten, verbally tormented.
One bully stood out in his memory. That person had been even more unfortunate than him, yet always complained—blaming his parents for not having money.
He'd thought: "If I had money, I could do whatever I wanted."
So whenever he saw Kaidō being bullied, he'd join in. Seeing someone suffer more than himself brought psychological balance.
"Damn it! You bastard! I'll devour you!"
"Blood Demon Art: Circular Slashing Rotation!"
Without his sickles, Gyutaro released wide-range blood blades from his severed arm stumps. The poisoned slashes tore toward Kaidō.
Under [Transparent World]—Kaidō saw everything clearly. He leapt backward, summoning his greatsword to his hand.
"Dragon Breathing, Fourth Form: Coiling Dragon!"
CRASH!
The blood slashes hammered against the defensive barrier, creating thunderous impacts—but were completely nullified.
Gyutaro scrambled to his feet and retreated. The burning sensation in his arms had faded. His regeneration was working again.
His limbs regrew. Blood sickles materialized in his hands. Recalling what had just happened filled him with equal parts terror and rage.
Terror—because somehow his regeneration had been suppressed, rendering him powerless.
Rage—because he'd been humiliated. Brutalized by a Hashira who hadn't even needed weapons.
Suddenly, he sensed his sister was in trouble. He immediately transferred half his power to her, allowing him to attack while controlling her movements simultaneously—processing massive amounts of information from both perspectives and making split-second decisions.
Tengen stood on a rooftop, uncertain what to do next. Upper Rank Six was getting absolutely demolished by Kaidō.
ONE-SIDED BEATDOWN.
He couldn't intervene. All he could do was watch and wait—ready to support if something went wrong.
"What a flamboyantly incredible guy! Worthy of someone who's killed Upper Five! Gets my blood pumping! Hahaha!"
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