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On the eve of dawn, those unable to fight—the Kakushi medics, Ruka Rengoku and her son Senjuro from the Rengoku estate, Retsuki from Kaido's manor—all prayed silently for victory and safe return.
The battlefield shifted moment by moment. With each passing second, dawn crept closer—only minutes remained.
After a night of desperate combat, everyone was physically and mentally exhausted. Every warrior bore critical injuries.
Yet they forced their broken bodies upright and continued fighting.
This wasn't just the Demon Slayer Corps' eternal mission—it was every swordsman's deepest wish.
Destroy Muzan. Restore peace. End the suffering demons inflicted on humanity.
Until the mission was complete—they would never stop.
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'Convulsions... spasms won't stop. If Blood Demon Art is causing this muscle disruption... then a Nichirin blade should counteract it...'
Understanding the principle, feeling his body's deterioration—Tanjiro grabbed his fallen sword. He positioned the tip against his right arm, avoiding major vessels and vital points. Clenching his jaw, he drove the blade between his ribs.
The method worked. The convulsions began subsiding slowly. Gritting through the agony, he prayed for the spasms to end completely.
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"Beast Breathing, Fourth Fang: Slice and Dice!"
"Thunder Breathing: Thunderclap and Flash—Godspeed!"
Inosuke forced his wounded body forward, dual blades carving like wild beast fangs—tearing through Muzan's tube whips. Zenitsu's ultimate velocity complemented the assault with lightning-fast slashes.
From a distance, Genya fired continuously. His explosive rifle's suppression effect disrupted Muzan's movements, creating openings for Inosuke and Zenitsu.
'My stamina's nearly gone. I can only manage one final strike. Please let it wound him enough to pin him down.'
"Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form: Flaming Thunder God!"
Zenitsu's body exploded with its last reserves. Like a golden lightning dragon roaring with thunderous fury, he struck at speeds beyond mortal perception.
But the power fell short of his previous execution. The slash only carved a deep gash across Muzan's shoulder. Zenitsu collapsed—completely spent.
'Not enough! The wound's too shallow...!'
Even that diminished strike had inflicted serious damage. Combined with Tamayo's drugs reaching full potency, Muzan's regeneration had slowed to a crawl.
The assault continued. Inosuke charged again—every slash precisely targeting Muzan's whips. But his injuries had robbed him of full strength.
Genya fired from his position. His Nichirin sword had shattered long ago—he could only support Inosuke with the rifle while evading counterattacks through his mangled body.
He'd planned to consume Muzan's flesh to trigger demonic transformation—but the demon king's attack radius was too vast. No opportunity to close distance existed.
"Beast Breathing, Fifth Fang: Crazy Cutting!"
"Beast Breathing, Third Fang: Devour!"
Inosuke surged toward Muzan. Serrated blades released sword energy that tore at the demon's torso.
Then he contorted impossibly, descending at an unnatural angle—dual blades carving through both of Muzan's legs.
As Inosuke prepared to press the advantage—
Muzan released another shockwave. The impact tore Inosuke's wounds wide open. Blood poured freely.
Seeing his chance, Muzan's tube whips descended to execute the boy.
"INOSUKE!" Zenitsu shouted from afar—trying to move, but his body wouldn't respond.
Genya attempted rescue—but the earlier shockwave had torn multiple deep lacerations across his torso. He couldn't stand.
"Sun Breathing, Sixth Form: Burning Bones, Summer Sun!"
Just as Muzan's whips were about to connect—
Tanjiro arrived. Flame-wreathed rotating slashes severed every appendage, saving Inosuke.
Muzan's deterioration was obvious now. His whips moved far slower than before.
'Muzan can't deploy continuous shockwaves anymore—or he needs time to gather energy between uses. We have to hold him. Dawn is almost here!'
"Sun Breathing—"
COUGH—
Before deploying the technique, Tanjiro's overtaxed body rebelled. He vomited blood and collapsed. Muzan's whips closed in—too fast to evade.
Genya tried covering fire—multiple shots going wide as blood streaming from his head wound blurred his vision.
"Dragon Breathing, Ninth Form: Whirlwind Pierce!"
At the critical moment, Kaido's high-velocity drilling charge drove the Longsword straight through Muzan's torso. Momentum carried them backward—slamming Muzan into a wall hard enough to pin him there.
When Muzan tried escaping, he realized he couldn't move. Kaido's sword had impaled him completely—fixing him to the wall.
"GET OFF ME!"
"NEVER! I'M NOT LETTING GO!"
Panic consumed Muzan. Dawn was imminent. If this continued—death was certain.
His thorned whip struck at Kaido's throat—
Mitsuri arrived, seizing Muzan's arm with iron grip. Eight-times muscle density flared. She ripped the limb clean off. "ENOUGH, YOU BASTARD!"
Muzan's remaining arm lashed toward her—
Obanai's serpentine blade intercepted, pinning the whip against the ground. "I won't let you hurt Kaido or Mitsuri!"
Seeing his whips neutralized, Muzan deployed his leg appendages—
Sanemi and Tengen arrived from opposite angles, wrapping the whips with their weapons and driving them into the pavement.
"Die in the sun, you piece of shit!"
"Flamboyantly perish in the sunlight, you filthy creature!"
Sensing death's approach, Muzan roared in fury and terror. "YOU DAMNED INSECTS—DIE!"
BOOM!!
Another devastating shockwave erupted. Every Hashira was hurled backward. The wall and ground fractured like a spiderweb.
Only Kaido remained—gripping the Longsword with everything he had left, keeping Muzan pinned.
But his condition was catastrophic. The shockwave had struck him directly. Wounds covered his entire body. Blood soaked through his clothing, dripping steadily onto the pavement.
'Hold on... just a little longer. Dawn is coming...!'
Desperate beyond reason, Muzan's face split open—transforming into a massive maw lined with rows of razor fangs. It descended toward Kaido—
No time to dodge. Kaido used his tail to block the bite.
The crushing force was immense. Teeth shattered scales, penetrating flesh and bone. Blood sprayed from the severed appendage.
Agonizing pain screamed through his nerves—but Kaido didn't make a sound. He simply held the Longsword steady, refusing to let Muzan escape.
"Sun Breathing, Seventh Form: Sunflower Thrust!"
Tanjiro's flame-wreathed blade pierced Muzan from another angle—adding his strength to Kaido's, doubling the restraint.
His reasoning was simple: every bit of additional force helped.
"Kaido-san... I'll... help you hold him!"
Muzan's regret was absolute. He'd never imagined the Corps possessed such tenacity—falling again and again, yet rising each time.
Even with grievous wounds, blood loss, severed limbs—they clenched their teeth and stood. They raised their weapons and fought.
Kagaya's words echoed through his consciousness: 'You've awakened the dragon and tiger that should have slumbered forever. They're watching you—always watching.'
Then the worst scenario unfolded.
Beyond the distant mountains, the horizon began turning pale. The sun was rising.
Sunlight crept through the urban streets—advancing steadily. Facing the approaching dawn, Muzan's terror reached its absolute peak. Death's footsteps drew nearer with each passing second.
Dawn had broken.
"MUZAN—FACE YOUR FINAL JUDGMENT!"
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