"Yoriichi truly is formidable," Himejima said, his expression unchanged from its perpetual sorrow as he walked with steady, unhurried steps. Yet his tone brimmed with admiration. "The demons we've searched for tirelessly—Yoriichi finds them with such ease…"
"Perhaps because I've slain many before and have grown familiar with their patterns," Yoriichi replied with a faint smile. "In fact, all the demons I've eliminated throughout Kantō these days may have only added pressure onto everyone else."
"Amida-butsu… that is a blessing." Himejima also smiled. "I imagine the Master will be quite pleased at the next Hashira Meeting.
And Hiru has been exceptionally active lately. I heard from the Kasugai Crow that he's already reached Tsuchinoe. At this rate, he'll surely become a Hashira soon."
"Indeed," Yoriichi's smile broadened slightly. "Hiru has been remarkably active recently. I even received a letter from Mr. Urokodaki, saying Hiru saved someone and was directly recommended to him. He's said to be exceptionally talented."
"I've heard about it too. The Shinazugawa brothers, right? Rumor has it that one of them possesses Rare Blood." Himejima twirled his prayer beads and murmured a Buddhist chant. "When I visited my teacher earlier, I happened to see Mr. Urokodaki taking that child to pay respects. Apparently, the child wasn't suited for Water Breathing, so he brought him to learn Wind Breathing instead. And the child mastered it remarkably quickly."
"Everyone has their own nature. You can't force it. Finding the right Breathing Styles is a blessing."
"Ah, right. The child Mr. Rengoku brought back from Hachijō Island is there too. The two seem to get along well. It's just... those children are a bit too fixated on killing demons. It's truly worrying."
"After all, they've both been hurt by demons..." Yoriichi looked up at the full moon, his expression wistful. "If only we could find Muzan Kibutsuji sooner, they wouldn't have to bear so much..."
"We will find him. Please try to ease your mind."
"Yes, you're right—hmm?"
Yoriichi frowned, gazing into the distance. "Why..."
"What is it?" Himejima's hand moved toward the weapon at his back. "Have you spotted another demon?"
"No, not at all. I'm sorry, Himejima. Something just occurred to me," Yoriichi's voice carried a note of apology. "I must leave now."
"Alright, then. Until next time."
"Mm."
Listening to the rapidly receding footsteps, Himejima furrowed his brow and tilted his head slightly. "Yoshika, where did Yoriichi go?"
"Sun Hashira-sama headed east!"
"East..." Himejima slowly rolled his prayer beads, gradually sinking into thought. "Where could it be?"
...
The scenery whizzed past Yoriichi as he streaked forward like a blur, charging toward the direction his senses had detected.
In that fleeting instant, he sensed that Hiru had fully entered his demon state.
Hiru rarely used his Blood Demon Art—only occasionally to slay demons for pigment or to assist Miss Tamayo's research. He almost never used it at all, and certainly never entered full demon transformation when Yoriichi wasn't present.
He must have encountered an enemy compelling him to abandon his usual fighting style and resort to full demonization.
But what kind of enemy would push Hiru to this extreme?
[Could it be Muzan? Or perhaps the Twelve Kizuki? But those Lower Moons shouldn't be enough to force Hiru into full demonization... Upper Moon?] Yoriichi pushed aside his mask and looked up at the sky. [By the time I arrive, dawn will likely have broken. A demon unable to withstand sunlight will surely flee. I wonder if Hiru can hold out until daybreak.]
Yoriichi frowned, quickening his pace without making a sound.
[I hope I make it in time.]
...
Hiru rose from the ground with a cold expression, pulling the blood-red blade embedded in his torso. Ignoring the bleeding wound, he cast his Blood Demon Art upon the blade of flesh.
As the grotesque flesh transformed into uniform purple crystals, Hiru's expression remained calm. He tossed the crystals aside. "With strength comparable to Muzan, yet willing to serve under him... I truly don't understand you."
"The power... stripped away..." Kokushibo could feel a small portion of his own strength severed completely with the formation of the crystal, unlike ordinary injury.
Ordinary wounds depleted his internal energy, but Hiru's Blood Demon Art reduced the very upper limit of his stored power.
"Ah, yes. But isn't stripping others of life exactly how demons survive?"
Kokushibo glared at Hiru—disheveled, battered, and still perfectly composed—tightening his grip on his blade. "Trivial... You... are no... match for me."
"Ha! That doesn't matter." Hiru tore off his now tattered haori. "Rest assured, no matter how many times you pin me to the ground, I'll rise again. Demons don't die easily. And since I fear no sunlight, I only need to hold you off until the sun rises."
Kokushibo watched the pale dawn sky, his tone tinged with irritation as his blade once more revealed its savage form. "Trivial... indeed."
Hiru snorted and charged forward again.
But he could not match Kokushibo's skill. After barely a dozen exchanges, he was pinned to the ground once more of flesh and blood.
"The posture of the weak... is truly... unsightly." Kokushibo held his attack, lowering his gaze to observe Hiru struggling to rise. "Today... ends... here... Next time... I won't... show mercy."
As Kokushibo's words faded, an intricate paper sliding door materialized behind him, its surface reflecting the interwoven spatial structures of Nakime's Infinity Castle.
"A weakling, huh?" Hiru pulled the blade from his body and let it turn into purple crystals before tossing it aside. Sitting on the floor, he looked up at Kokushibo. "You're not wrong. Too bad I probably can't stop you today."
"You... seem... to have... another... reliance."
"We're both the same," Hiru watched Kokushibo's figure walk toward the door and sneered. "And that's precisely why you can never surpass my brother."
Kokushibo halted, turning to face Hiru.
"You've been running away." Hiru leaned against the tree trunk. "Running from the fact that my brother is superior to you, running from your duties as heir, running from the death you'd face if you pursued yourself too far, running from betraying your own beliefs—and you're even running from the deaths of my brother and me."
"You're... provoking me."
Hiru lowered his head and laughed. "My elder brother, Michikatsu, was a leader with responsibility and capability. No matter the obstacles, he would always stand before his family. He was the person my brother and I always aspired to become.
Tsugikuni Michikatsu may become Kokushibo, but Kokushibo will never become Tsugikuni Michikatsu.
Kokushibo, you are unworthy of bearing the name [Michikatsu]."