DS Chapter 87: Move That Turned the Tide!
Ren glanced down at his Nichirin Blade once more.
A million alpacas stampeded through his mind.
Damn it...
He had to admit it.
The Nichirin Blades forged by Hotaru Haganezuka were far too easy to break.
There had been nothing wrong with the way he used the blade just now.
That meant the fault lay entirely with the swordsmith.
It's all Haganezuka's fault!
No wonder Tanjiro's sword keeps breaking.
Next time, no matter what, I'll forge my own Nichirin Blade.
Ren tightened his grip around the broken sword.
The pressure was immense.
Facing Sanemi with nothing but a broken blade, his chances of victory had become exceedingly slim.
"What's wrong?"
"Can't smile anymore?"
Blood trickled down Sanemi's scarred face, making his already intimidating appearance even more ferocious.
Yet his heart was overflowing with excitement.
It had been a long time since he'd fought someone this fiercely.
At first, he'd worried Ren wouldn't be able to withstand his relentless offensive.
Now...
Those concerns had vanished.
His opponent's determination—and perhaps even his ability—was no weaker than his own.
That meant...
He could finally fight without holding back.
"Hahaha!"
Sanemi threw back his head and laughed.
He raised his left arm, veins bulging prominently beneath his skin.
The muscles along his forearm swelled like coiling dragons as he gripped his Nichirin Blade tighter.
His face was filled with exhilaration.
If his earlier judgment was correct...
Ren had already been injured by his wind blades.
One more solid hit...
And Sanemi was confident he could send him flying out of the arena.
He lowered his stance, tensing both legs.
"Ren."
"You're strong."
"But unfortunately..."
"This match is over."
"Is it?"
Ren's expression remained as calm as ever.
Neither arrogant nor humble.
Silently, he tightened his grip on the broken Nichirin Blade.
Then...
He assumed an offensive stance.
---
Below the arena, the spectators erupted into discussion.
"What a shame... Ren's Nichirin Blade broke! If it were still intact, he might have had a chance, but now..."
"Even so, pushing Wind Hashira-sama this far already proves his talent. If Ren became a Hashira someday, I wouldn't object."
"Looks like the Demon Slayer Corps is about to produce another prodigy like Tokito-sama."
"Wait!"
"Look!"
"Wind Hashira-sama is gathering power for another technique!"
"Why isn't Ren surrendering?!"
"Does he still intend to fight?"
"My God..."
"Has he lost his mind?!"
---
At the Hashira viewing area...
Every Hashira wore a troubled expression.
Even the usually indifferent Giyu Tomioka had fixed his gaze upon Ren.
As Hashira...
They all understood one thing.
The burdens they carried were far heavier than those of ordinary Demon Slayers.
Risking their lives in battle was nothing unusual.
So when they saw Ren refuse to surrender...
Their first thought wasn't Why won't he give up?
Instead...
Does he still have another trump card?
Logically speaking...
Ren wasn't the type to gamble his life recklessly.
Had he already found a way to defeat Sanemi?
Giyu blinked.
How familiar...
The feeling was strangely nostalgic.
Ren's fighting spirit reminded him of another young swordsman.
A boy with reddish-brown hair...
And a scar on his forehead.
Their backs looked remarkably alike.
Gentle.
Warm.
Yet unwaveringly strong.
Perhaps...
Ren truly is someone special.
Giyu lowered his head slightly.
A faint light flickered in his eyes.
"...Don't die, Ren."
---
Inside the Ubuyashiki Estate—
Amane looked toward Kagaya.
"Should we stop the match?"
"Ren's Nichirin Blade has broken."
"I'm afraid he can't continue fighting, while Shinazugawa still appears to be in excellent condition."
Kagaya slowly closed his eyes.
"No."
"Ren has his own plan."
Amane looked at him in surprise.
"You really place a great deal of faith in him."
Kagaya smiled gently.
"It's different."
"I can smell wisteria."
---
Back in the arena...
Ignoring the crowd's anxious voices, Ren remained silent.
The young man in white stood quietly, gripping his broken blade.
Across from him...
Sanemi also settled into his stance.
"Ren."
"Are you really not surrendering?"
His tone grew serious.
"This isn't a game."
"If I lose control..."
"You may never stand again."
Ren narrowed his eyes.
"Come."
Sanemi grinned.
"Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!"
His Nichirin Blade slashed downward.
A roaring whirlwind burst forth once again.
Attack...
And movement...
The Wind Hashira's signature style.
This slash was even stronger than before.
The raging wind covered more than twice the previous area.
Recognizing Ren's weakened condition, Sanemi showed no mercy.
Instead, he poured even more power into his technique.
The spectators collectively gasped.
Boom!
Like a raging dragon, Sanemi charged forward within the whirlwind, his blade aimed straight at Ren.
But—
Halfway through the attack...
Everything stopped.
"What?!"
The swirling wind blades surrounding Sanemi vanished without warning.
His body froze in place.
A strange numbness spread through his limbs, refusing to obey his commands.
Sanemi's eyes widened.
The sensation...
Was painfully familiar.
He'd experienced it once before.
Back at the Butterfly Mansion.
After being stabbed by Shinobu.
Poison?
That was his first thought.
But he immediately rejected it.
Ren's previous attacks had all been engulfed in flames.
How could poison possibly coexist with fire?
Unless—
Sanemi suddenly looked up.
Ren stood before him with a faint smile.
"Shinazugawa..."
"Can you still move?"
His expression remained calm and composed.
As though everything unfolding before them had been part of his plan from the very beginning.
That terrifying sense of control made Sanemi feel genuine fear for the first time.
"What..."
"What did you do?!"
The numbness spread upward, even affecting his eyes.
One eye widened instinctively.
The other narrowed from the creeping paralysis.
Rather than answering immediately, Ren quietly observed Sanemi's condition before giving a satisfied nod.
"The results seem promising."
"The paralytic toxin has already spread through half of your body."
"You should only be able to move one side of your body now."
Sanemi frowned deeply.
"Don't tell me..."
"You coated your blade with poison just like Shinobu?"
"I thought you only knew Insect Breathing, Flower Breathing, and Flame Breathing."
"And I've already developed resistance to Insect Breathing's paralytic poison!"
Confusion nearly overflowed from his face.
For the first time in his life...
He felt as though his brain wasn't working fast enough.
Why am I paralyzed?
When did he poison me?
Finally...
Ren answered.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Who said..."
"I only know three Breathing Styles?"
Sanemi's pupils contracted.
"I prepared thoroughly for this fight."
"I mastered this Breathing Style long ago."
"I simply never had a reason to use it."
"It possesses the same toxic properties as Insect Breathing..."
"But it also complements my own strengths."
"I call it..."
"Bee Breathing."