"Mist Breathing: Fourth Form -- Shifting Flow Slash."
In a fraction of a second, Muichiro killed the demon-fish and dragged Kotetsu away.
"Tokito-san, don't worry about me... Save Haganezuka-san..." muttered Kotetsu.
"Got it," said Muichiro.
Inside the house, Gyokko was still trying to distract Haganezuka from forging the sword.
(Damn him... Damn him...) thought the demon. (This man... He won't stop even after all I've done to him! Even after I destroyed his eye!)
Suddenly, the Upper Rank Demon felt something from behind: A sword. Muichiro tried to behead him.
(So he managed to break free... But if I didn't notice... This means I was insanely concentrated, too!) thought Gyokko. (Hold on, hold on, what is that mark? According to the information Muzan-dono gave me, both the boy with earrings and the hidden sun also have a similarmark!)
Muichiro rushed forward.
"Blood Demon Art: Octopus Vase Hell!" exclaimed Gyokko, and plenty of tentacles appeared, destroying the entire building. Fortunately, Muichiro managed to cut the tentacles and land on the floor.
"Thanks, Kanamori. Finally, I can fight with a new sword..." said the Hashira. "Now, let's get this party started. I can't wait to behead this artist wannabe."
"Mist Breathing: Fifth Form -- Sea of Clouds and Haze!" exclaimed Muichiro, cutting through the tentacles and reaching Gyokko, almost beheading him.
"Well, that was some rapid-fire chopping... But you don't seem to be able to keep up with my vase's speed!" said Gyokko, reappearing on a tree.
"Are you sure about that? It looks like your senses have totally dulled," said Muichiro. Suddenly, Gyokko felt his neck sliced. "I'm going to slash you next time..."
"Don't underestimate me, you brat!" said Gyokko, attacking Muichiro with other poisonous spikes. Fortunately, the Hashira managed to dodge and counter, slicing Gyokko's arms.
"I'm not underestimating you, I'm just stating a fact. You're gonna be beheaded by me and die anyway," said Muichiro.
"So bold, for someone who lived ten years or so!" said Gyokko.
"Hey, that vase doesn't seem symmetrical," said Muichiro, mocking Gyokko. "What a piece of crap."
"You dare insult my art? That's because your eyeballs are rotten, dammit!" shouted Gyokko, materializing other vases. "Blood Demon Art: Ten Thousand Gliding Slime Fish!"
Gyokko attacked Muichiro once again with assassin fishes.
"Mist Breathing: Sixth Form -- Lunar Dispersing Mist!" said Muichiro, neutralizing the fishes.
(He slashed them all?) thought Gyokko, in disbelief. (No, I don't need to worry, those fish will disperse poison before they turn to dust!)
"Mist Breathing: Third Form -- Scattering Mist Splash!" exclaimed Muichiro, and the remnants of the fish blasted away.
(How's that possible? He blasted all of them away!) thought Gyokko.
Muichiro rushed forward to slash Gyokko's neck, but the demon disappeared, leaving his old skin.
(So he can shed his skin, too...) realized Muichiro. "Can you please stop hiding in the trees?"
"You should consider yourself lucky, you're just the third person I'm showing my true form to..." muttered Gyokko, reappearing on a tree. The demon transformed: he remained the same physically, but instead of the vase, he had a mermaid-like tail. "Can't you see how beautiful I've become? Bow down in awe!"
Muichiro didn't move.
"Why aren't you saying anything, you goddamned brat!?" shouted Gyokko.
"Because it didn't surprise me," said Muichiro. Gyokko dashed forward, attempting to punch Muichiro, but the boy jumped onto a tree.
"Just earlier, you told me not to hide in trees, and now you're doing the same?" said Gyokko.
"No, it's just that I feared my nose could collapse due to your incredible stink," replied Muichiro.
"What do you think of my power? Everything I touch with my fist turns into lovely fresh fish!" said Gyokko.
"That's not a problem," said Muichiro. "An attack can't work if it doesn't land."
(I may have lost my memories, but my body remembers. That's why I trained until I'd vomit: to annihilate demons! To wipe them out once and for all!)
"Blood Demon Art: Killer Fish Scales!" exclaimed the Gyokko, throwing at Muichiro. "Now, what do you say of my illogical movements? My scales allow me to move at will!"
The more Gyokko attacked, the more Muichiro blocked and dodged.
"It's over for you!" exclaimed Gyokko once again, trying to punch Muichiro.
"Mist Breathing: Seventh Form -- Obscuring Clouds," said Muichiro, disappearing in the mist.
(There he is! I found him!) thought Gyokko. But when he tried to punch Muichiro, that was worth nothing.
"Did you really think you were the only one to be holding back?" asked Muichiro.
Then, a slash.
Gyokko's head began to fall on the ground.
(What the hell? I'm upside down!) thought the demon, as his head fell on the ground.
"It's not that you're upside down," said Muichiro. "I decapitated you."
(D-D-D-Decapitated?) He stammered. "That's ridiculous! Impossible! Unbelievable! Me, the mighty Gyokko, beheaded by a kid!"
"It's not my fault if I'm stronger than you," said Muichiro. "No need to ever be reborn again, right? Nobody's gonna miss you."
"You, a lowly human! How dare you slice my head! You abominable, low-level life-form!" exclaimed Gyokko. But before he could finish the phrase, Muichiro sliced his face in half, and immediately after, Gyokko's head was cut into a million pieces. Finally, the demon disappeared, dying.
"Finally, he stopped yapping..." muttered Muichiro.
"T-Tokito-dono..." muttered Kanamori, who came out after the fight ended. "Tokito-dono! You saved us! Are you all right?" asked the swordsmith.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," said Muichiro. But just by looking at him, it was clear he was not fine.
"Are you sure about that?" asked Kanamori.
"Yeah. I really feel amazing right now," said Muichiro. "And I've got to join Goku-kun and the others right away..."
"You're looking really pale, you know! Are you really sure you're fine?" said Kanamori.
"I told you, I'm totally fine, are you even listening to me?" said Muichiro.
"But you're heaving! And also trembling, aren't you?" said Kanamori. And just then, Muichiro fainted.
"Tokito-dono!" shouted Kanamori. "Oh, crap! Is he going to die?"
"You should lay him on his side," said a voice. Kanamori turned and saw Kotetsu.
"Whoa! Are you a ghost?" asked Kanamori.
"No, I'm still alive," said Kotetsu.
Gyokko had been defeated.
Chapter 37 - End