"Aaaaah! That woman's a monster! We're gonna die! We're all gonna die! Even her voice is terrifying!"
Overwhelmed by the overwhelming bloodlust and killing intent emanating from Mukago, Zenitsu finally screamed and collapsed face down on the ground.
His fear had passed the critical point, his eyes rolling back as foamy bubbles formed at his mouth, and he fainted on the spot.
"Snap out of it, Zenitsu! Now's not the time to sleep!"
Tanjiro shouted urgently, but Zenitsu didn't budge. Mukago looked at Zenitsu and snorted contemptuously.
"What a noisy guy. Should I kill him first?"
Joking about killing him, as Mukago was about to flick her finger, a thin snore burst from Zenitsu's nose.
A sharp, tearing sound of breathing echoed.
White breath leaked from the sleeping Zenitsu's mouth, and yellow electricity began to crackle and jump around his body.
"Huh?"
Mukago tilted her head curiously. The aura she sensed from him had completely changed.
In that moment, Zenitsu disappeared. No, he shot forward at a speed impossible to follow with the eye, kicking off the ground.
Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash.
Kwang!
A flash like dry lightning charged straight for Mukago's neck.
But Mukago wasn't flustered.
She was a monster who had shed her Lower Moon shell and reached the realm of the Upper Moons. Even Zenitsu's speed was within her dynamic vision.
"Fast? But too simple."
Mukago slightly tilted her head to the side. Zenitsu's sword strike grazed her cheek, cutting only a few strands of hair as it passed.
Zenitsu didn't stop after landing. The sound of him kicking off the ground erupted repeatedly. Not just once.
Sixfold.
Kwaaang!
Six bolts of lightning surrounded Mukago.
The zigzagging trajectories of light blocked Mukago's retreat, and Zenitsu's Nichirin Blade accurately struck her defenseless nape.
Clang!
But what echoed through the forest wasn't the sound of flesh being cut. It was a heavy metallic sound, as if a giant bell had been struck with a hammer.
"...?!"
Tanjiro's eyes widened. Zenitsu's lethal strike had hit Mukago's neck, but the blade couldn't penetrate her skin and stopped dead.
Mukago's body, strengthened by Akira's blood, was harder than diamond.
"That tickles."
Mukago muttered coldly.
Taking advantage of Zenitsu's blocked attack, Inosuke swooped down from the air, swinging his dual swords.
"Wild Rush!! Beast Breathing, Third Fang: Devour and Rip Apart!"
Inosuke aimed for Mukago's shoulder and neck simultaneously, putting all his muscle strength into the downward strike. It was a wild blow meant to saw through if the demon's neck didn't cut.
Crash!!!
But the result was miserable.
The moment they touched Mukago's neck, Inosuke's two chipped Nichirin Swords shattered helplessly.
"What... what is this rock?!"
Inosuke stared in shock at the broken sword hilts in his hands. Mukago waved her hand dismissively.
"Weak. So weak it's making me yawn."
As she unfolded her fan, dozens of ice arrows materialized in the air.
"Enough playing. I'm bored. Freeze quietly."
Blood Demon Art: Ice Rain.
Like a machine gun, the pouring ice arrows showered down on Tanjiro and his defenseless friends.
"Tanjiro! Danger!"
In that desperate moment with nowhere to hide, the door of the wooden box Tanjiro was carrying swung open.
The small demon girl, Nezuko, jumped out and shielded Tanjiro. She used her own body as a shield.
Thud! Puck! Puck!
"Ugh...!"
Ice arrows embedded themselves in Nezuko's shoulder, thigh, and arm.
Blood splattered and flesh tore, but she swallowed even a groan and didn't step back, protecting her brother.
Smoke rose from the wound areas as the demon's unique regeneration began.
"Oh my?"
Mukago's eyes widened in surprise. Her gaze, having stopped the attack, fixed on Nezuko.
The demon girl with a bamboo muzzle, glaring fiercely at her while protecting humans.
Despite being much weaker, that bizarre act of throwing herself to protect humans... stimulated Mukago's twisted sense of possession.
"Cute...♡"
Mukago's eyes turned greedy as the corners of her mouth lifted.
"That child, a demon? But a demon protecting humans? Peculiar. I like it. She'd be perfect for my collection."
Mukago folded her fan and reached out a hand to Tanjiro.
"Hey, kid. Let's make a deal. Hand over that little demon to me. I want to make her my personal maid. She'd look nice all dressed up and carried around. If you hand her over, I'll let you minnows live."
"Don't be ridiculous!! Nezuko isn't an object! She's my one and only sister!"
Tanjiro shouted angrily, veins bulging on his forehead.
Even the sleeping Zenitsu growled upon hearing Nezuko's name in his dream.
"Don't... touch Nezuko-chan..."
Zenitsu charged using Thunderclap and Flash, pushing his legs beyond their limit. But this time, Mukago didn't dodge.
"Too slow."
Clang!
Mukago's hand deflected Zenitsu's broken sword, and her palm struck his abdomen.
"Guh!"
Without even screaming, Zenitsu vomited blood and was sent flying to crash into the far end of the forest.
"Don't ignore Inosuke-sama!"
Inosuke attacked with his broken swords, but Mukago lightly dodged and struck his solar plexus with her palm.
Thump!
"Gah!"
Inosuke coughed up blood and collapsed after hitting a tree. In an instant, two were incapacitated.
"Stubborn brats. You should have listened when I asked nicely."
As Mukago stretched out her hand, giant frost-covered thorny vines rose from the ground.
"Blood Demon Art: Ice Flower Vines."
The vines, moving like living snakes, instantly snatched Nezuko and lifted her into the air.
"Grrr!"
Nezuko tried to tear the vines with her claws, but the sleep powder and blood-sucking thorns spewing from the vines pierced her body.
"Ugh..."
Nezuko's eyes lost focus as her strength drained, and she went limp. Mukago smiled contentedly at Nezuko hanging from the vines.
"That's right, be good. Big sister will take care of you."
"Nezuko!!"
Tanjiro screamed and charged. He drew out Water Breathing's strongest technique.
"Water Breathing, Tenth Form: Constant Flux!"
A giant dragon of water took shape around Tanjiro's sword with nowhere to retreat.
A slashing attack that gains acceleration and power with each rotation. Driven by the single thought of saving Nezuko, Tanjiro surged toward Mukago.
But Mukago frowned irritably.
"Persistent. Enough already. It's time to go home. I need to hurry and deal with the boss."
As she spread her hand, red tree fruit-shaped ice bombs formed in Tanjiro's path.
"Freeze."
Kwa kwa kwang!! Kwang!!
The bombs exploded in succession. Trees froze and shattered. Even with controlled power, it was too much for Tanjiro, who wasn't a Hashira.
The absolute zero cold stabbed into Tanjiro's lungs, and his Nichirin Sword was covered in frost, becoming heavy.
Water Breathing couldn't offset this overwhelming cold. Death's doorstep was right before him.
Time slowed down. In the cold, Tanjiro saw the flashback one sees before death.
'Tanjiro... don't forget... to breathe...'
A white snowfield. His father burning charcoal. And his father dancing all night with a ceremonial sword.
'No matter how painful... don't stop dancing...'
His father's voice struck Tanjiro's freezing heart.
Tanjiro's sword changed posture. The breathing technique following the flow of water transformed into the violently boiling Sun Breathing.
Hot warmth began to swirl around his body, which was freezing cold. His lungs felt scorching hot, but it was the heat of life.
"Hinokami Kagura! Dance!!!"
Whoosh~!
A vivid red flame-like form bloomed from Tanjiro's sword. It wasn't just fire.
It was the sacred, demon-burning flames of sun, imbued with the power of the sun.
Slice!
As Tanjiro swung his sword, the ice bombs and cold sent by Mukago were cut away as if evaporating instantly.
"...What?"
For the first time, Mukago's eyes, which had been full of leisure, shook greatly.
Her absolute zero Blood Demon Art had been offset by a mere human's sword strike. No, cut through.
"Give... Nezuko back!!"
Tanjiro, with his burning sword, surged forward, piercing through the mist and ice.
To save Nezuko hanging in the air, and to slash the arrogant queen Mukago.
In the midst of the ice forest, the hottest and most beautiful dance of the sun had begun.