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Hours later, Flower Street.
Kochou Shinobu, Obanai Iguro, and Muichiro Tokito arrived together, having been dispatched immediately after confirmation that more than one Upper Rank demon had appeared in the district.
"This place…"
Kochou Shinobu stared at the Flower Street, now devastated beyond recognition. A deep sense of unease rose in her chest, and she instinctively quickened her pace.
Seeing this, Obanai Iguro and Muichiro Tokito followed without hesitation.
Before long, the three of them discovered Shinazugawa Sanemi, Kyojuro Rengoku, and Uzui Tengen lying unconscious amid the frost-covered ruins.
Their bodies were soaked in blood, their skin tinged with a purplish-blue hue—clear signs of severe poisoning. At the same time, scorching steam rose from their bodies, melting the ice and frost around them.
"They… all took that medicine."
Kochou Shinobu recognized their condition instantly. Her expression darkened as she rushed forward and began examining them, only to find that their state was even worse than she had feared.
"Shinobu, how are they?" Obanai Iguro asked quietly as he stepped closer.
"For now… they won't die."
Kochou Shinobu answered while working quickly, her brows tightly furrowed.
At this moment, all three were running dangerously high fevers, their body temperatures exceeding forty degrees Celsius. It was precisely this extreme heat that was suppressing the poisons in their bodies and keeping them alive.
As for the battle with the Upper Rank demon… there was no need to ask. If they had lost, none of them would still be breathing.
"For now?"
Obanai Iguro frowned slightly. Those words carried weight.
"The poison and the fever are currently maintaining a fragile balance," Kochou Shinobu explained. "Detoxification and fever reduction cannot be performed at the same time. The fever isn't caused by the poison, but the poison itself can't be removed quickly. Whether they survive depends entirely on whether they can endure the high fever long enough for the toxins to be expelled."
"How long will detoxification take?" Obanai Iguro asked.
"At least eight hours," Kochou Shinobu replied after a brief pause. "Normally, even with a Hashira's physique, maintaining a body temperature above forty degrees Celsius for three hours is already fatal. However…"
She did not finish the sentence.
Naruto's case had been an anomaly beyond all known parameters.
"Eight hours?"
Obanai Iguro clenched his fists, then nodded firmly. "They'll endure it. They have to."
Caw!—Caw!
A Kasugai Crow suddenly descended, its voice shrill with urgency.
"Emergency! Emergency! The Master's residence has been exposed and is under attack by a demon! The attacker is Upper Rank One! Please proceed immediately to assist! Please proceed immediately to assist!!!"
The air froze.
Shinobu, Obanai, and Muichiro all stiffened at once.
Obanai Iguro was the first to react. "Shinobu, you stay here. Take care of Sanemi and the others. Tokito and I will head to the Master's residence."
Kochou Shinobu hesitated only briefly before nodding. "Be careful."
Several hours earlier—
Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.
A demon with six eyes calmly stepped onto the grounds of the Ubuyashiki estate, guided by a floating winged eyeball.
The kanji Upper Rank and One were carved into the irises of its central eyes.
Upper Rank One of the Twelve Kizuki—Kokushibo.
The Demon Slayer Corps members guarding the estate reacted instantly, sounding the alarm and drawing their nichirin blades as they charged forward without fear.
Yet, the moment they closed in, their bodies froze in midair—as if restrained by an invisible force.
Kokushibo walked past them without a glance.
As it passed, invisible slashes carved through their bodies. One by one, they shattered and collapsed.
"Stop, demon!"
A deep, thunderous voice rang out.
A massive meteor hammer hurtled through the air, accompanied by a piercing roar, crashing toward Kokushibo's head.
Stone Breathing, Second Form: Upper Smash!
Kokushibo shifted his stance slightly, moving with minimal effort as the meteor hammer narrowly missed him.
"A powerful strike," he said calmly. "Impressive presence. A Hashira?"
The attacker—Gyomei Himejima—did not respond.
Instead, he launched another assault, hurling both the meteor hammer and broad axe in a coordinated pincer attack.
Stone Breathing, First Form: Serpentinite Bipolar!
Kokushibo raised his hand to the hilt of his sword. Without even drawing it from its sheath, a crescent slash erupted outward, violently repelling both weapons.
Gyomei yanked on the chain, reclaiming his weapons in a single smooth motion. The chain whirled as he spun both the axe and hammer, advancing once more.
Stone Breathing, Fourth Form: Volcanic Rock, Rapid Conquest!
This time, Kokushibo drew his blade.
The grotesque sword, covered in blinking eyes, clashed against Gyomei's weapons, forcing Kokushibo back several steps.
"Incredible strength," Kokushibo remarked, his expression unchanged. "Your physique surpasses every Stone Hashira I've seen. The strongest in at least three centuries."
As his words faded, Kokushibo countered with a single, refined strike, driving Gyomei backward.
Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace!
Gyomei felt the nature of the attack instantly.
"Breathing Style Swordsmanship…"
His expression hardened. "Were you once a member of the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Yes," Kokushibo replied without hesitation. His voice carried a trace of distant nostalgia. "But that was hundreds of years ago."
"Namu Amida Butsu…"
Gyomei Himejima tightened his grip on his weapons.
Without another word, he advanced once more.