Chapter 90 — The Sudden Appearance of Upper Rank Four!
[Ding]
[You have obtained 3% of the Template inheritance!]
The death of Lower Rank Five granted him an additional 3% inheritance level.
Watching Rui's body dissolve into a pool of blood, Yukinoshita Akira exhaled softly.
Every demon despised by the world… always had a tragic side to their story.
Even Kibutsuji Muzan—every demon carried a past far removed from happiness.
A sharp whistling sound suddenly tore through the air.
From the shadowed corner, something shot out—fast, unseen, and deadly.
Because the previous battle had just ended, Akira's vigilance was at its lowest.
It was a natural weakness shared by all living beings—after the clash ends, even the most disciplined would let their guard down, if only for a heartbeat.
And that fleeting moment… was the perfect time to strike.
A metallic clash rang through the air.
Just before the attack could land, Yukinoshita Akira swung his Nichirin Blade with a sharp, precise motion, deflecting the incoming strike.
"So, you finally decided to show yourself. I've been waiting."
Akira turned calmly toward the source, his gaze piercing into the depths of the shadowed forest.
A faint cracking sound echoed.
Since his ambush had failed and his presence was exposed, the figure stepped out of the darkness.
What appeared before Akira's eyes was a hunched old man with a bulging forehead, horns sprouting from his skull, and a face that resembled a Hannya mask.
To call him a fusion between a demon and a yaksha would not be an exaggeration.
At a single glance, Akira recognized him.
Upper Moon Four — The Resentment Demon, Hantengu.
A deranged demon with a fractured mind.
His emotions were unstable; his true personality—Fear—was cowardly, self-pitying, and full of resentment toward the world.
Yet, deep within his twisted heart, one belief dominated everything:
"I've never done anything wrong."
No matter how vile his actions were, Hantengu always considered himself a victim—forever blaming fate, forever running from guilt and truth alike.
His Blood Demon Art allowed him to manifest his emotions into physical forms, creating separate clones—each with its own thoughts, will, and memories.
A troublesome demon, indeed.
But not one that couldn't be handled.
"I received a direct order," Hantengu hissed. "To eliminate you… and bring back your head."
His voice was thin and trembling, yet carried a strange malice that clawed at the listener's nerves.
"You think you can kill me?"
Akira's gaze turned cold, the corner of his lips curling into a faint, mocking smile.
At this point, his strength had already surpassed that of most Upper Ranks.
He had inherited over 40% of Tsugikuni Yoriichi's power—his body and soul fused with the legacy of the strongest Demon Slayer in history.
An Upper Rank demon was hardly a challenge anymore.
"You won't know unless you try."
The moment those words left his lips, Hantengu's frail posture straightened unnaturally.
His body began to twist and contort, muscles reshaping, bones cracking, flesh writhing as if alive.
Within moments, the old man's form vanished—replaced by that of a young man with twin horns protruding from his head.
Across his back were several Taiko drums, each inscribed with the kanji 憎 (Hatred), while in his hands he held two curved drumsticks shaped like the letter "S."
Zohakuten — The Demon of Hatred.
Hantengu's strongest manifestation.
He was the fusion of Sekido, Karaku, and Urogi—the embodiment of hatred born from anger, false joy, and profound sorrow.
Normally, Hantengu preferred dividing himself into several forms to fight efficiently while conserving energy.
But against Yukinoshita Akira—he had no such luxury.
This man had effortlessly slain Gyutaro and Daki, the dual demons of Upper Rank Six.
Even though they were the weakest among the Upper Moons, their combination was notoriously troublesome.
Their special ability—if one remained alive, the other could not die—made them nearly invincible.
And yet, this human destroyed them with ease.
Even Lower Rank Five, who had received Muzan's direct blood infusion, was nothing before him.
Such power was simply too dangerous to be ignored.
Which was why Hantengu chose to begin this fight in his strongest form.
And more importantly—
it was daytime.
Though the dense canopy of trees provided shade, it was no absolute protection.
If even a single beam of sunlight broke through, it would spell his end.
"Upper Rank Four… Hantengu, isn't it?"
"Hah? You even know my name? How fascinating… So there's still a human in this world who remembers me."
"I know more than that."
"Hmph! Whatever you know won't matter once you're dead."
With a menacing grin, Hantengu raised his drumsticks.
He didn't intend to waste time—it was daylight, after all.
"Blood Demon Art: Roaring Thunder!"
A deep vibration thundered through the ground as a massive wooden dragon erupted from beneath the soil, accompanied by a piercing shockwave that shattered the air.
"Demon Slayer Mark—Activate."
With a burst of speed, Akira kicked off the ground, vanishing from his spot. The air behind him warped from the pressure.
His perfect control over his body allowed him to neutralize most of the sonic impact.
"Blood Demon Art: Thunderclap!"
Another wooden dragon burst forth, lightning crackling from its jaws.
"Sun Breathing: Ninth Form — Setting Sun Transformation!"
While soaring midair, Akira twisted his body and swung his blade in a reverse horizontal arc.
His sword burned with blinding sunlight, cutting through the sky.
A fiery explosion erupted as flame and lightning collided, consuming the forest in a wave of smoke and sparks.
The nearby trees splintered and fell, though the thick canopy prevented the destruction from spreading further.
"Blood Demon Art: Piercing Wrath!"
From one of the Taiko drums, another wooden dragon emerged, unleashing a massive shockwave that ripped through the forest.
Ancient trees shattered under the sheer force.
Akira didn't block it—he couldn't.
Instead, he leapt between the towering trunks, moving like a flicker of sunlight, avoiding every lethal blast by a hair's breadth.
"Blood Demon Art: Gale of the Wood Dragon!"
The next drumbeat summoned a whirlwind from the dragon's maw, striking the ground with destructive power.
A massive crater spread outward like a fan.
If that attack had struck him directly—
it would have been over.
No matter how powerful he was, Yukinoshita Akira was still human.
Compared to the immortal regeneration of demons, a human body remained fragile.
"Had enough yet?! You keep firing off techniques nonstop!"
Frustration colored Akira's tone as he landed on a broken branch.
"I'm not some training dummy you can just keep swinging at."
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