"Re-battle with Gyokko"
"This guy… this guy! This man! This human! Even this injured, he still won't let go of that blade!"
Gyokko, having trapped Muichiro Tokito in the Water Prison Pot, arrived at the small hut.
There, he encountered Haganezuka, diligently sharpening the blade Tanjiro and Kotetsu had found inside the Yoriichi Type Zero.
Gyokko found Haganezuka's focus interesting. As an "artist" himself, encountering a peer with far greater dedication was unsettling.
He decided to ruin Haganezuka's efforts—the simplest way was to destroy the blade—but he didn't. Instead, he beat Haganezuka severely.
Yet, Haganezuka continued sharpening the blade relentlessly. This infuriated Gyokko. He himself wasn't this dedicated to his art. What gave Haganezuka the right?
"Even when I blinded his left eye, he didn't make a sound, didn't stop sharpening," Gyokko muttered, his frustration growing. He noticed Kozo Kanamori, beaten against the wall. "Right, let's try using his life as leverage. Let's see if that stops him."
As Gyokko moved to threaten Kozo Kanamori, a sharp Nichirin Blade pressed against his neck.
Gyokko instantly retreated into a pot. The attacker was Muichiro Tokito, freed from the Water Prison Pot and now bearing the Hanafuda.
Gyokko was astonished.
"He escaped my Water Prison Pot? How? I thought he'd suffocate soon, so I wasn't paying attention. But wait… that means I was too focused on tormenting the swordsmith! Excellent!"
Gyokko then noticed the Hanafuda on Muichiro Tokito's face.
"Hm? Wait… those markings… Muzan-sama's intel mentioned similar markings on the child with earrings… No, no, let's put that aside. Why does he look so calm? His body should be paralyzed by my poison needles! Why is he attacking me so quickly?"
Muichiro Tokito charged.
Gyokko immediately produced a pot, releasing massive tentacles to ensnare Muichiro Tokito.
"Blood Demon Art, Porcelain Vase Spells: Octopus Vase Hell!"
The tentacles engulfed the hut, piercing through it. Even Muichiro Tokito was swallowed.
Gyokko laughed. "Hee hee hee, how about that? These tentacles are too resilient to cut."
One tentacle flung Haganezuka across the room.
Haganezuka, clutching the Nichirin Blade and his sharpening tools, immediately resumed sharpening upon landing.
"He's still sharpening that blade… this is insane! Is he an idiot?" Gyokko was exasperated. "Oh well, let's deal with the Hashira first."
Gyokko turned to the entangled Muichiro Tokito and Kozo Kanamori. "I was too lazy before. This time, I'll crush you into paste and absorb you completely."
As he finished speaking, the tentacles binding Muichiro Tokito and Kozo Kanamori were sliced apart by flashes of sword light.
Muichiro Tokito stood, a new Nichirin Blade now in his hand.
"Thank you for forging this blade, Kozo Kanamori-san." Muichiro Tokito's demeanor changed significantly.
"No, no, I merely followed the notes left by the first swordsmith who served you."
Kozo Kanamori wept at the Hashira's gratitude. A swordsmith's ultimate goal is to have their blades recognized by a Hashira.
Muichiro Tokito remembered the swordsmith who forged his first blade. "I remember… it was Kanamori-san. He forged my first Nichirin Blade, then passed away from heart disease… I remember now…"
"Who will understand you after I'm gone?" An old figure appeared in his mind, sitting on a rock, smoking a pipe. "Who knows how anxious you are, forgetting things?
Who knows how much agonizing effort you've put in? Who understands that, as a Hashira, you live on a knife's edge?
Every time I see your used blade, I can't help but cry. I'm dying, old age is upon me, death is nothing to fear, but I worry about you, my good child."
Muichiro Tokito apologized to Kanamori, gripping his new blade. "I'm sorry, Kanamori-san. I worried you, but I'm alright now."
Facing the oncoming tentacles, he focused his intent.
"Mist Breathing, Fifth Form: Sea of Mist Clouds!"
A thick mist enveloped the tentacles. Muichiro Tokito unleashed a rapid series of strikes, breaking through the tentacles and reaching Gyokko.
He swung his blade, but Gyokko evaded him by retreating into a pot. Gyokko reappeared on a tree behind him.
"Those strikes were fast, but you can't keep up with my pot's speed." Gyokko taunted.
Muichiro Tokito calmly looked at him. "Is that so? Centuries have dulled your senses."
A bloody gash appeared on Gyokko's neck, spraying blood. His face contorted.
"Next strike will be your last. I haven't got all day for your silly pot games."
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