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"Moon Breathing, Seventh Form: Mirror of Misfortune—Moonlit!"
Kokushibo's evolved demonic blade carved through space. Five massive fan-shaped shockwaves erupted across the ground, converging on the three Hashira.
As the primary shockwaves advanced, dozens of arc-shaped secondary blasts manifested along their trajectories—each lethal enough to kill.
The speed and range had at least doubled.
But Kokushibo's assault didn't end there.
"Moon Breathing, Eighth Form: Moon-Dragon Tail!"
A horizontal cleave of devastating scope—sweeping everything before it. Lightning-fast, accompanied by countless massive crescent blades.
The three Hashira evaded the first technique—only to find the second already upon them.
Sanemi, already critically wounded, managed to dodge the main strike—but smaller crescents still carved into his legs. Blood sprayed.
"Moon Breathing, Ninth Form: Waning Moon—Falling Moons!"
Kokushibo raised his blade skyward, unleashing a chaotic barrage of intersecting slashes that generated overlapping blade winds—sealing off all escape routes while spawning innumerable crescent projectiles.
Sanemi's strength was failing. He evaded most of the assault—but multiple crescents struck his back. Fresh blood erupted from the wounds.
"SHINAZUGAWA!"
"SANEMI!"
"Himejima, Tengen—don't worry about me...!"
"Moon Breathing, Tenth Form: Drilling Slashes—Moon Through Trees!"
Two massive rotating circular blade winds erupted from Kokushibo's weapon, carving toward them with crescent-blade trails. Sanemi, grievously wounded and kneeling, had no strength left to dodge.
He closed his eyes, accepting death—
Muichiro appeared, grabbing Sanemi mid-leap and carrying them both clear.
"TOKITO!"
"Shinazugawa, you can't give up! We have to keep fighting—we have to take Upper Rank One's head!"
Behind a distant pillar, Genya exhaled in relief seeing his brother saved—then tensed again.
'Can I do this? Can I... actually be useful?'
He recalled being dismembered by Kokushibo while trying to help Muichiro. That helplessness made him feel pathetically weak.
But he steeled himself. 'No. I CAN do this. I won't let my brother die... absolutely not! Himejima-san, Tokito-san, Uzui-san... none of them can die!'
'The weakest person has the greatest potential, Genya!'
'I believe this rifle will serve you better than anyone!'
Tanjiro's encouragement during training. Kaido's words when entrusting him with the explosive rifle. Those memories crystallized into determination.
"Tanjiro... Dragon Hashira-sama... that's right. We're all comrades. Brothers-in-arms! I KNOW I can do this! I just need to focus on winning! I won't let my brother, my mentor, or my friends die!"
He unwrapped the cloth bundle containing Kokushibo's severed blade fragment—and swallowed it without hesitation.
"I planned to save this in case I lost both arms again—but that conservative thinking won't win this fight! I can't waste any opportunity to attack!"
The moment Genya consumed the fragment, his body began transforming. Demonic energy surged through his bloodstream. Even the explosive rifle changed—its barrel turning crimson, dragon engravings flowing across the surface like liquid blood. The sight was deeply unsettling.
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"Stone Breathing, Fifth Form—"
Before Gyomei could complete the technique, Kokushibo's next assault descended.
"Moon Breathing, Sixteenth Form: Moonbow—Lone Moon!"
Massive blade winds fell from above, accompanied by countless crescent projectiles. The four Hashira faced an overwhelming barrage—dodging continuously, yet still suffering cuts from the razor-sharp crescents along every trajectory.
'His techniques are endless—how many forms does he even have?! And they're impossibly fast! We can't attack—he sees through everything! But his perception speed is beyond comprehension!'
'At this rate, he'll shut down our movements before we can even begin attacking. He reads our intent the instant we decide to strike. This is abnormal!'
Yet Kokushibo offered no answers to Gyomei's confusion—only relentless slashes from his grotesque blade.
'Does this demon possess some supernatural perception? What exactly is he seeing?'
Even while evading, Gyomei's mind raced through possibilities.
'If I sharpen my senses to the absolute limit, maybe I can discover the truth behind this discrepancy. Demons were once human—anything a demon can do, a human can replicate. I need to see through everything!'
CRASH—
Kokushibo's wide-range attacks continued without pause. The Hashira dodged desperately—
Then Gyomei felt something shift. His consciousness became transparent. The world itself transformed—everything turned see-through.
'What is this...? I can sense pulses, see clear images... this is...'
Through his newly awakened Transparent World, Kokushibo's internal structure became visible—blood flow, skeletal movements, muscle contractions—all laid bare.
Muichiro watched his comrades dodging endlessly without closing distance. He made his decision.
As Kokushibo's next attack descended, Muichiro dodged sideways—then charged directly at the demon.
'Get inside! Penetrate his attack range! Even just for an instant! If I can make Upper Rank One pause—reduce his offensive intensity for just one moment—Himejima-san, Shinazugawa-san, or Uzui-san will decapitate him!'
Gripping his blade with both hands, he rushed forward.
Gyomei recognized Muichiro's intention immediately. "SHINAZUGAWA! UZUI!"
Both understood instantly—charging forward alongside Gyomei.
'They caught on to my plan and coordinated immediately. Perfect. If we can sever Upper Rank One's neck... my death doesn't matter.' Muichiro's resolve hardened.
Kokushibo observed the approaching warriors—Muichiro in front, three Hashira behind. 'Simultaneous assault. The optimal strategy under these circumstances. But it also lets me kill four birds with one stone.'
"Moon Breathing, Fourteenth Form: Catastrophe—Tenman Crescent Moon!"
Kokushibo's blade became a blur. Countless massive crescent-shaped blade winds erupted alongside enormous circular projectiles, converging on all four warriors.
Facing the overwhelming barrage, none of them stopped. They dodged through impossibly narrow gaps while closing distance.
Muichiro found an opening and thrust straight through. Tengen and Sanemi did likewise.
Gyomei launched his flail while simultaneously throwing one of his prayer beads—it adhered to Kokushibo's hand, causing momentary interference that shifted the blade's trajectory just enough. The most lethal strike missed.
'The stone weapon wielder's prayer bead? Thrown while swinging the chain? How did it slip through my visual coverage?' Brief confusion.
"Wind Breathing: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!"
During that split-second distraction, Sanemi's thrust forced Kokushibo backward.
Gyomei's flail followed immediately, pulverizing Kokushibo's right shoulder—severing his arm completely.
"Sound Breathing, First Form: Roar!"
Tengen's dual blades descended toward Kokushibo's throat—but through Transparent World, the demon saw everything. He intercepted with his left hand, unleashing a blade wind that forced Tengen back.
The Sound Hashira blocked with both weapons—but that seemingly casual strike numbed his wrists, and crescent blades carved multiple wounds. Blood poured freely.
SLASH—
Muichiro had already reached Kokushibo—driving his blade into the demon's torso. But the blade wind that repelled Tengen also severed Muichiro's leg.
Through his near-death experience, Muichiro had also achieved Transparent World. Kokushibo's body became see-through—just as Gyomei had witnessed.
Kokushibo suddenly noticed—Muichiro's previously severed arm had regenerated! Even the shoulder wound had completely healed.
He clearly remembered dismembering the boy and impaling his shoulder.
'How is this possible? He's still human... how is he regenerating? That stone wielder as well—he's also perceiving through that vision...'
'Unexpected developments keep occurring. But none of them can sever... my neck. It's time... to end this.'
"Moon Breathing, Sixteenth Form—"
"I WON'T LET GO! Even if my body shatters—I WON'T LET GO! Genya, FIRE! Don't worry about me!"
In the distance, Genya raised his transformed explosive rifle—now demonic in appearance—aimed at Kokushibo, who was restrained by Muichiro.
Muichiro's words echoed in his mind.
'Genya, if I stop Upper Rank One's movements, don't hesitate—shoot me if you have to!'
"I know! I KNOW!"
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Four shots. Crimson bullets streaked toward Kokushibo.
The demon's shoulder regenerated instantly. He deflected all four bullets with his blade—
The rounds split mid-flight. Four became twelve, curving around his defense to strike his body, arms, and legs before detonating.
The impacted areas ignited, destroying muscle tissue. The suppression effect was far stronger than before—Kokushibo's regeneration slowed dramatically.
'That boy! That appearance...! The gun's form has changed... this is...'
Kokushibo's body convulsed. Something was forcing its way through his flesh.
CRACK! CRACK!
Trees erupted from the bullet wounds—massive roots binding both Kokushibo and Muichiro in place, completely immobilizing them.
'Trees?! The roots are too strong—I can't move... Blood Demon Art... that boy consumed my severed hair and blade fragment...'
Genya had channeled Hantengu's Blood Demon Art through his rifle bullets—the technique from the demon he'd consumed at the Swordsmith Village. The trees bound Kokushibo completely.
Gyomei, Sanemi, and Tengen seized the opening—charging forward with everything they had left.
For reasons Kokushibo couldn't explain, anxiety pierced his heart. His life was threatened—he felt tension, rigidity.
And beneath that... an emotion both detestable and nostalgic—
Fear.
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