Chapter 135: Hantengu, It's Time to Repay the Debt You Owe!
Even more frightening was the Breathing Style Ren had displayed. Uzui Tengen had witnessed it all with his own eyes.
As long as Ren saw a Breathing Style once, he could deduce its principles from a single glance. Uzui Tengen had never seen anyone so terrifyingly gifted.
For someone with power, character was often just as important.
And in Uzui Tengen's eyes, Ren's character was beyond reproach.
That was why Uzui Tengen regarded Ren as the hope of the Demon Slayer Corps.
When he learned that Ren had been taken away from the Butterfly Mansion by two Upper Rank demons, his anxiety had surpassed that of anyone else!
Otherwise, he would never have written to Hinatsuru and the others, asking them to look for Ren while carrying out their mission.
And when he finally arrived here and heard that Ren was safe, Uzui Tengen's heart was filled with excitement.
Once again, that elusive hope had become clear before his eyes!
The opportunity was right in front of him.
How could he possibly let it slip away?
Ren was still alive.
So now was the time to win!
At this very moment, in a place no one noticed—
A trembling black mark suddenly appeared at the corner of Uzui Tengen's eye!
Gyutaro, however, didn't notice it.
"Tch! You're really annoying. Who gave you permission to wear such a determined expression?"
Gyutaro sneered. "Although I don't know why you can resist my poison, judging from the way you're panting now, I doubt you'll last much longer!"
You're dead.
Gyutaro even "kindly" reminded him, "Aren't you afraid...?"
"So what?!"
Uzui Tengen was far too excited to listen.
I'm witnessing the birth of a miracle!
"Oh?"
Hearing that, Gyutaro suddenly burst into laughter.
He laughed so hard that his thin, stick-like waist seemed as though it might snap in half.
The next moment, Upper Rank Six revealed a cruel smile.
"You really don't think Ren can defeat Hantengu, do you?"
"Don't you know the strength of the Upper Ranks?"
"That adult!"
Gyutaro's face was filled with madness, yet there was also an immense sense of awe in his voice.
"That lord is the strongest among the three Upper Ranks below the top!"
"Don't think defeating me means it's over!"
"You can't even do that!"
The more Gyutaro spoke, the more excited he became, and the harder his body trembled.
It was as though he, too, was witnessing the birth of a miracle.
"Look! Listen! I just heard the sound of the adult form merging!"
Gyutaro raised both hands.
"Hahaha! Listen! Now this is the magnificent sound you humans have been waiting for!"
Uzui Tengen pricked up his ears.
"Don't come any closer!!!"
At that moment, the newly merged Zohakuten stared at Ren, who was slowly approaching him.
His face was filled with both hatred and fear.
More precisely—
There were two Rens.
To understand what had happened, we have to go back three minutes.
Three minutes earlier.
Gyutaro said, "Hmph! Combine Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure!"
Seeing this, Ren didn't stop him.
Instead, he watched with great interest.
Ren knew that in order to kill Hantengu, he would ultimately have to kill the manifested forms as well.
But his ambition went far beyond simply killing Hantengu.
He wanted to learn more abilities.
Daki's twin birth.
Hantengu's Joy, Anger, Sorrow, Pleasure, Hatred, and Fear.
These were all incredibly powerful abilities and, more importantly, powerful sources from which Ren could learn new skills.
Ren knew that if he wanted to continue advancing, powerful techniques were indispensable.
He wanted to defeat Zohakuten head-on!
Perhaps it wasn't merely for the sake of learning new abilities.
After all, their grudge had begun at the Butterfly Mansion.
Hantengu had offended someone he should never have offended.
Even now, Ren could still remember that pitch-black night—
The sight of blood gushing from the girl's body.
Bright red.
Tragic.
Heartbreaking.
Looking back on what had happened, Ren actually felt that Kanao shouldn't have saved him.
Kanao's strength had been insufficient.
At that time, seeking help would have been the best choice.
But who could ever truly understand human beings?
Just like Ren now.
He should have returned as quickly as possible.
Yet he had still chosen to stay and fight the demons alongside Hinatsuru and the others.
Was it because of the ninjutsu?
Ren didn't think so.
Just like Kanao back then.
She only wanted to save him.
The girl's heart held nothing but Ren.
So no matter what existed within the Blood Demon Art barrier, no matter how many choices she had to make, she would resolutely choose to save him.
It was a foolish act.
But it was also an act of courage.
It was precisely Kanao's actions back then that buried something deep within Ren's heart.
There was warmth.
And there was hatred.
Now, what occupied the young man's heart was an uncontrollable fury—
A fury so intense that it seemed almost tangible.
Deep.
Violent.
Unrestrained.
That emotion had existed ever since Ren left the Butterfly Mansion.
And the moment he saw Hantengu, it finally erupted.
Night had fallen.
The crescent moon hung in the sky like a hook.
Under the moonlight, the young man's expression was resolute as he slowly drew his Nichirin Blade from its sheath.
His hand was steady.
Unlike his usual lightning-fast draw, Ren was exceptionally calm this time.
Because this battle meant something extraordinary to him.
The young man closed his eyes.
"Kanao, it's been a long time. I wonder if your injuries have gotten better."
Ren murmured, his thoughts drifting back into the past.
"But it doesn't matter. I'll be back soon."
"I'll personally kill this dog beside Muzan and make him pay for what he did to you!!"
At that moment, Ren released everything.
The aura of his peak state erupted without reservation!
That aura surged like a gigantic wave, crashing toward Hantengu like the blazing sun itself!
"What terrifying talent!"
At the final moment of Sekido's fusion, he couldn't help but cry out in astonishment.
For some reason, his body began to tremble.
That emotion was also absorbed into the completely fused body of Zohakuten.
The next moment—
Zohakuten slowly opened his eyes.
A trace of confusion suddenly appeared within them, as though he were troubled by an inexplicable emotion welling up inside his chest.
His lips moved slightly.
"Am I afraid?"
Zohakuten touched his chest.
His heart, which had not beaten violently in decades, suddenly began pounding!
Fear?
Zohakuten wondered in confusion.
What exactly did I just see?
Why are my emotions fluctuating so violently?
Then—
The next moment.
Not far away, the young man suddenly raised the long sword in his hand and stood proudly beneath the moonlight.
His lips curved like the edge of a blade.
"Hantengu, it's time to repay the debt you owe!!!"
[Bullet Domain: Fully Deployed!]
[Retroactive State: Fully Activated!]
[Carefree Movement Technique: Activated!]
[Dragon Breath—Third Form: A Hundred Flowers Bloom in a Single Thought!]
[Your Mark burns unbearably hot. You are enraged. Your muscles rapidly expand, and your lungs desperately accumulate oxygen!]
[Total Concentration—One Hundred Refinements!]
Draw the sword!