On the snow-covered road.
"Forest Breathing, Seventh Form: Wooden Dragon Soaring Slash!!"
Roar!!
The ferocious slash resembled a true colossal dragon, unleashing an earth-shaking roar as it cleaved mercilessly towards Muzan Kibutsuji.
Yet Muzan, with his back to this overwhelming strike, merely curled his lips into a smirk.
His crimson eyes flashed as he raised an arm and abruptly turned, his vertical pupils locking onto Shinichi's figure.
"Blood Demon Art: Black Blood Brambles!"
Sssshhh—!!
Blood arrows pierced through Muzan's suit, elongating and solidifying in an instant into countless gleaming, razor-sharp thorns.
A storm of blood-forged iron brambles lashed out wildly, clashing against the emerald dragon.
BOOM!!
The moment the thorns made contact, they coiled tightly around the dragon, relentlessly driving inward—toward Shinichi, who still gripped his blade at the dragon's core.
The terrifying battle that had erupted on the road, along with the sight of Muzan's bloodthorns bursting from his arm, sent shockwaves through the nearby pedestrians.
Blade flashes flickered incessantly, while the black bloodthorns writhed like venomous
serpents.The clang of steel against steel filled the air as Shinichi twisted and dodged, his slashes and the whip-like strikes of the thorns gouging deep trenches through the thick snow and into the earth below.
The ordinary passersby had never witnessed such a cataclysmic scene before.
Screams erupted as people scrambled to flee in every direction.
"Run! There's a monster!!"
"Oh god! I need to get home!"
"This is horrifying!!"
"Ah! My goods! Don't trample my goods!"
"Waaah! Mom! Where are you?!"
...
Shrieks, the sounds of fleeing, and the wails of children filled the air.
"Filthy humans." Muzan, who was controlling the bloodthorns with one hand while battling Shinichi, naturally noticed the chaos among the crowd.
Contempt and disgust surged within him—humans, in his eyes, were nothing more than lowly creatures fit only to be prey.
His momentary distraction gave Shinichi an opening.
With a furious roar, Shinichi roared, "MUZAN!"
Forest Breathing, Sixth Form: Resilient Grass- Hurricane Strike!
Emerald blade light erupted in a whirlwind of slashes, radiating outward from Shinichi.
In seconds, the countless bloodthorns surrounding him were shredded apart.
Swish!!
With one final slash, the last of the thorns before him fell, clearing a path straight to Muzan.
Shinichi's heterochromatic eyes were bloodshot, his heart consumed by seething hatred.
Memories flashed through his mind—familiar faces: the Ubuyashiki family, the Old Man, Kanao, Shinobu, the other Hashira, the Demon Slayer Corps members, the countless victims of demons he had encountered on missions, the families torn apart by loss... and finally, that little boy who always wore a bright smile—Toshihiro.
Each image fueled the fire within him.
Crack!!
His grip on the sword tightened until his bones creaked.
BOOM!!
His foot slammed into the ground, scattering snow and fracturing the earth beneath.
Like a bullet fired from a gun, Shinichi shot towards Muzan in a lightning-fast charge.
"Boring Demon Slayer Corps members, futile attacks. When will you annoying pests disappear completely?" A vein bulged on Muzan's forehead, his crimson eyes brimming with violent killing intent.
His fangs gleamed with a cold, pale light and the black claws on his fingertips unconsciously extended.
However, Muzan had no intention of continuing to fight Shinichi.
After all, apart from Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Muzan had never regarded anyone in the Demon Slayer Corps as worthy of his attention.
In his eyes, whether they were Hashira or lower-ranked swordsmen, they were nothing but insects.
Insects should be dealt with by those meant to handle insects.
If he had to do everything himself, what was the point of the Twelve Kizuki?
Squelch!
A sudden mutation occurred—Muzan's other arm abruptly swelled, a mass of flesh growing unnaturally.
Twisted muscles, mouths, eyes, and claws covered the grotesque mass.
The rampant flesh quickly expanded over ten meters long, resembling a monstrous arm and with lightning speed, it snatched several pedestrians who hadn't managed to flee in time.
Amids their terrified, despairing screams, Muzan's "giant arm" hurled the helpless victims directly at Shinichi, who was charging toward him.
"Help!!"
"Monster!!"
"No! I don't want to die!"
The airborne pedestrians shrieked, and Shinichi—his right eye already blood-red—was forced to halt his advance.
Damn Muzan!
Using innocent bystanders as shields!
Shinichi gritted his teeth, but unlike Muzan, he wasn't a demon devoid of human emotion.
As the Forest Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, he couldn't stand by and watch civilians die before him.
Whoosh!
Shinichi's body transformed into a streak of emerald light, catching the helpless victims midair.
But in doing so, he lost his best chance to strike Muzan.
By the time Shinichi tightened his grip on his Nichirin Blade, it was already too late.
Clang!
A haunting melody of a biwa echoed in his ears.
Muzan smirked—and in the next moment, a wooden door materialized beneath his feet.
"Stop! Don't you dare run!" Shinichi instinctively sensed danger and swiftly drew the short Nichirin Blade at his waist.
Forest Breathing, Thirteenth Form: Niten Ichi-ryu · Hawk Strike!
The whistling blade sliced through the air, emitting a piercing screech like a hunting hawk as it shot toward Muzan.
But it was still too late.
BOOM!!
The blade pierced through Muzan's afterimage, slamming into the ground with enough force to send snow flying.
The blade buried itself deep, its hilt trembling violently from the sheer power behind the strike.
Muzan, however, was already gone.
Shinichi could only watch helplessly as his enemy vanished before his eyes.
With a furious roar, Shinichi's overwhelming life force erupted uncontrollably.
His right eye turned fully crimson, fangs lengthened and black claws sprouted.
His suddenly monstrous visage sent the rescued pedestrians fleeing in terror.
In his unbalanced state, Shinichi's demonic power ran wild.
The searing heat radiating from him melted the surrounding snow, exposing the dark earth beneath.
A moment later, Shinichi found himself alone amidst the pockmarked earth, surrounded by the chaotic debris left behind by fleeing pedestrians.
"MUZAANNNN!!"
*****
Bam!!
Though it was merely a fist of flesh, the collision between Akaza's punch and Giyu's Nichirin Blade produced a metallic screech as if steel had clashed.
Akaza's golden pupils clearly reflected Giyu's grave expression and he broke into an exhilarated grin.
"Splendid! Giyu Tomioka! You're truly remarkable! Your strength is astonishing. I no longer wish to kill you—become a demon, Giyu!"
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