As the youngest and most gifted of the nine Hashira, Tokito Muichiro, the Mist Pillar, possessed a talent that few could ever hope to match. This was why he could awaken his Demon Slayer Mark at the same time as the other Hashira, yet master the Crimson Red Blade and the Transparent World in a much shorter time.
However, in his recent fight against Kokushibo, Upper Rank One of the Twelve Kizuki, he felt the terrifying gap between their strengths. According to his calculations and combat strategies, every one of his attacks should have been enough to interfere with, or at least damage, his opponent.
Yet, all his planning became useless the moment Kokushibo drew his samurai sword from its sheath.
Buzz!
In an instant, a cold light flashed. It was like countless eyes opening in the darkness, dense and overwhelming. The next moment, Muichiro felt a sharp blade pierce directly through his heart, churning violently inside him.
Pfft!
He coughed up a mouthful of blood, and his body staggered backward.
"This blood… interesting."
In a daze, Muichiro heard Kokushibo's voice drift into his ears. "I didn't expect a descendant of the Tsugikuni line to still exist… but not anymore."
The next moment, Muichiro's body fell heavily to the ground. His consciousness faded into darkness, and everything became empty.
Tokito Muichiro, the Mist Pillar, one of the nine Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, was killed in action.
At almost the same moment, Uzui Tengen, the Sound Pillar, who had fled in another direction, slammed his twin swords together. Countless small explosions erupted in the air, filling the sky with smoke as he charged forward without hesitation. Just as Muichiro had said, he had to run forward and not look back.
He knew that with the terrifying strength Kokushibo had just shown, Muichiro, who had already lost an arm, was surely dead. What's more, Gyutaro and Daki, the demons they had severely injured, had now completely recovered. They had no chance of winning this battle.
Saying he was searching for his three wives had been a lie. The truth was, he couldn't bear to leave without knowing what happened to Muichiro in his final moments. After all, he was a comrade he had just fought beside.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Suddenly, the sound of three heavy objects falling to the ground echoed nearby, causing Tengen to stop in his tracks. His eyes narrowed to pinpricks. Those three heavy objects were, shockingly, three human heads.
Suma.
Hinatsuru.
Makio.
Three familiar faces were now empty, their gazes blank, as if filled with regret for a life cut short. Seeing the heads of his three wives caused the emotions Tengen had been suppressing to burst forth in an instant.
"Twelve Kizuki… I'll kill you!"
Before he could finish his sentence, two blood-red sickles coated in deadly poison appeared from behind him and plunged brutally into his shoulder blades.
Pfft!
Streams of blood gushed out, and the intense pain twisted Tengen's handsome face into an unrecognizable mask of agony. Before he could even react, countless ribbons shot in from all directions, wrapping tightly around his entire body.
Crack!
The ribbons tightened around his neck, and a sharp tearing sound echoed in the night. Tengen's expression froze. Blood sprayed from his mouth, and he no longer showed any signs of life.
Uzui Tengen, the Sound Pillar, one of the nine Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, was killed in action.
Meanwhile, just outside the Yoshiwara Red-Light District, a figure moved swiftly through the night. Just as he was about to enter the district, an uncontrollable pain suddenly shot through him.
"Could it be…?"
An expression of extreme anguish appeared on the face of Kagaya Ubuyashiki, who had finally arrived. He quickly moved to a higher vantage point.
"No… no, I can still make it in time…" he whispered, his voice filled with desperation.
At the same time that the Mist Pillar and the Sound Pillar were killed, another battle was reaching its climax. Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Pillar , and Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar , were fighting Akaza, Upper Rank Three, and they too were facing a life-or-death crisis.
Although Gyomei's immense strength and Kyojuro's explosive power were formidable, their opponent was a demon who couldn't be injured or tired out. Even more terrifying, Akaza was a demon skilled in many forms of combat, and his power only seemed to grow as the fight went on.
It was terrifying. Truly terrifying.
If they hadn't been relying on their years of combat experience, they would have already been defeated by Akaza one by one. Even so, the injuries Akaza had inflicted on them were throbbing with pain, and a sense of exhaustion was beginning to fill their bodies.
"We can't go on like this!"
Gyomei and Kyojuro's eyes met for an instant. They both stepped forward, and the spiked flail in Gyomei's hand began to glow with an intense light.
Crimson Red Blade.
As the strongest of the nine Hashira, Gyomei Himejima had immediately mastered the Crimson Red Blade technique the moment he unleashed his full power. Almost simultaneously, a mark spread across his face like flower petals. The world around him, including the structure of Akaza's body, became incredibly clear. He could even see his opponent's fatal weaknesses.
Bang!
Just as Gyomei was about to strike, Kyojuro appeared behind Akaza like a phantom. He reached out with both hands and grabbed Akaza, holding him firmly in place.
"Now!" Kyojuro shouted, his hands gripping Akaza's arms like iron tongs.
Pfft!
In a flash, Gyomei's spiked flail roared through the air, aimed directly at Akaza's head. At the same time, the trapped demon did something unexpected. Instead of trying to dodge, Akaza pulled hard with both arms, tearing them from his own body.
Bang!
His regenerating arms met no resistance. Like a dragon emerging from the sea, they plunged directly into Kyojuro's chest.
Amidst the gushing blood, Akaza's five fingers gripped the wildly beating heart and squeezed. With a final, sickening crunch, time itself seemed to fall silent.
An indescribable sensation enveloped Kyojuro's entire body. Before his eyes, countless images flashed like a revolving lantern: his father, his younger brother, his master, his comrades. Figures from his past appeared and disappeared like illusions. He saw memories of his childhood, practicing the way of the sword under his father's strict guidance.
If only… If only…
Kyojuro Rengoku's vision went black, and his consciousness returned to darkness.
Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar, one of the nine Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, was killed in action.
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