Clang! Clang! Clang!
The clash of blades filled the air like a relentless storm. Uzui Tengen's figure flickered around Gyutaro, every strike so precise it was terrifying.
Each time Gyutaro tried to swing his sickle, Tengen's short sword was already there, pressing it down and forcing the weapon toward the ground. When Gyutaro shifted to attack from the side, Tengen's foot hooked his ankle mid-motion, breaking his stance. Even when Gyutaro raised a hand to summon his Blood Demon Art, Tengen's blade slashed across his wrist, black blood spilling onto the floor, sizzling small holes into the wood.
"How the hell are you doing this?!"
Gyutaro's voice cracked with fury and disbelief.
He had never faced an opponent like this. It was as if Tengen could read his mind—every strike predicted, every counter landing exactly where his guard failed. His speed, his strength—his pride—were nothing but flaws under that sharp gaze.
Tengen grinned wide, his silver-purple hair whipping around him as he spun. "I've read you like a score! Every swing of your sickle tilts three inches right, your left knee bends half first before you push off, and every time you gather your Blood Demon Art, you bite your lip first. All of it's written in my rhythm."
Before the words were finished, Tengen shifted his stance.
This time, he didn't block. He left his chest wide open, his short blade drawing back deliberately.
Gyutaro's eyes widened—then burned with madness.
He roared, driving his sickle straight for Tengen's chest, the poison glimmering green along the curved edge.
Now!
A spark flared in Tengen's eyes. He dropped low, body skimming the floor as his right-hand blade flipped upward.
A sharp shhk! rang out—the blade caught Gyutaro's wrist cleanly. Black blood sprayed as the sickle flew into the air, spinning out of his grasp.
Before Gyutaro could react, Tengen had already flipped up from the ground, driving his left-hand blade straight into his neck.
"Game over."
"No—!"
Gyutaro's scream ripped through the room. His head flew, black blood gushing from his neck as his body crashed to the floor, twitching a few times before falling still.
"Brother!"
From the corner, Daki shrieked, eyes wide in horror as she saw Gyutaro's head fall.
She barely moved to reach for it before a gust of wind cut through the air.
Tomioka Giyu appeared behind her like a shadow, his Nichirin Sword glowing gold.
"Water Breathing, Tenth Form: Constant Flux (Accelerated)!"
"Sun Breathing, First Form: Dance!"
The two techniques merged in a flash—the speed of flowing water fused with the burning light of the sun. A golden arc cut through the room, and before Daki could even turn fully, the blade swept cleanly through her neck.
Shhk.
Her head fell.
Her eyes were wide open, frozen in fear and sorrow, lips trembling as if trying to speak—but no words came. She shut her eyes slowly as her body went limp.
Both heads hit the floor at once. Black mist rose from their necks, writhing, trying to reach each other—one final instinct of the siblings' shared life.
But the residual heat of the Sun Breathing lingered on the blades, seeping into their flesh. The golden light burned through the black haze, consuming it completely. The two could not merge again.
"Why…"
Gyutaro's severed head rolled twice on the floor, his voice fading to a weak rasp.
"We… we just wanted to live…"
"Brother… please… do something… I don't want to die…"
"Shut up, useless brat! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have lost!"
"Ahh! You're the ugly one! If not for you, I'd still be alive!"
"Trash! If you weren't my sister, I'd be free! You've been nothing but a burden!"
Their hateful, broken words echoed in the silence. Even Giyu, watching from the side, felt something twist faintly in his chest.
Daki's head dulled and dimmed; the last traces of her black mist scattered into the air. Their bodies crumbled to ash, fading into nothing.
The Upper Moon Six—subjugated.
The room fell completely silent, save for the slow drip of blood sliding off the blades onto the floor.
"Hah…"
Giyu exhaled softly, the tension in his shoulders finally easing.
Uzui Tengen sheathed his short blades and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His breathing was heavy but steady—he hadn't suffered a single injury. Grinning broadly, he looked down at the fading ashes on the floor. "Done! As expected from my perfect score—an elegant, divine, injury-free performance! Truly worthy of the god of festivals and flashiness!"
Tomioka Giyu slid his Nichirin Sword back into its sheath, scanning the surroundings to ensure there were no lingering threats before turning toward the doorway.
There stood To, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, clearly stunned by the intensity of the battle he had just witnessed. Dust still clung to his uniform—he must have come straight after securing Tanjiro.
"To, how's Kamado Tanjiro?" Giyu asked calmly, his tone as composed as ever.
The boy blinked, snapping out of his daze. He hurried inside and nodded quickly. "Tanjiro's awake! I moved him to a small hut outside the Entertainment District. Kanae-sama is looking after him right now. She asked me to check on you two… That fight was amazing!"
His voice brimmed with awe. He had never seen combat that fast, that precise. Tengen's rhythm-based prediction and Giyu's synchronized decapitation had left him completely speechless—and deeply inspired.
"It wasn't just us."
Giyu turned toward Tengen, a hint of respect in his tone. "If it weren't for your rhythm technique, taking down Gyutaro this quickly wouldn't have been possible."
Tengen raised an eyebrow, smirking as he clapped Giyu's shoulder. "Ha! You've got good taste, Water boy! But you weren't bad yourself—the timing on that synchronized strike was flawless. A second slower, and that brat of a demon might've slipped away."
As they spoke, soft footsteps approached. Kocho Kanae entered the room, her uniform stained faintly with medicinal herbs—evidence she'd just finished tending to Tanjiro's wounds.
She smiled gently when she saw the fading ashes. "Looks like the mission went well?"
"Yes," Giyu replied. "The Upper Moon Six has been eliminated."
"How's Tanjiro's condition?"
"No major problems," Kanae said, stepping closer. "Just external injuries and a mild concussion. He'll recover after a few days' rest."
She added lightly, "I've already sent word to Oyakata-sama. He instructed us to finish cleaning up the aftermath here, then return to headquarters for debriefing."
The aftermath was handled smoothly. Most of the courtesans and attendants in the district had no idea the oiran had been a demon—they only thought it was some tragic accident.
Tengen explained it away as a "noble dispute," left behind a generous sum to calm the frightened workers, and led Giyu and To out of the Entertainment District.
Night deepened around them as they walked toward the small hut outside town. The moonlight stretched their shadows across the quiet street.
"This mission went pretty damn well," Tengen said, walking in front with his hands resting casually on his hips. "We took down an Upper Moon without a single casualty. That's a record, huh?"
Giyu nodded quietly. In the past life, the Sound Hashira had lost an arm and been forced into early retirement due to poison. But this time, Tengen stood unscathed. Tanjiro only bore minor wounds. That alone made everything worth it.
"Who's next?" To asked, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Giyu looked up toward the star-filled sky. In his mind, he saw the names written in the Corps' records—Upper Moon Three, Akaza. Upper Moon One, Kokushibo. And beyond them… Kibutsuji Muzan.
He exhaled deeply, his tone firm. "Next, we prepare for the fight against Upper Moon Three. But before that, you and Tanjiro need to focus on strengthening yourselves. The next battle will be even tougher."
To nodded hard. "I'll train until I drop!"
Kanae smiled softly at the three of them.
They were no longer fighting alone. Every victory, every synchronized move, every trust forged between them brought them one step closer to ending Muzan—and rewriting their fate.
Under the pale moonlight, the four figures walked on, their silhouettes growing smaller in the distance. Behind them, the bright lights of the Entertainment District glowed on—but the lurking darkness within was gone.
This battle against the Upper Moon Six was not only a victory—it was another step toward changing destiny itself.
Through strategy, teamwork, and trust, they had begun to shatter the tragedies of the past—moving forward toward a future filled with hope.