"Water Breathing, Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin!"
The boy with the scar on his forehead swung his blade downward toward the top of the Father Demon's head. The demon raised a massive arm, blocking the strike with a dull thud.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
With his eyes closed, the blond boy moved with the speed of lightning, appearing behind the Father Demon and slashing at the back of its neck. The demon swung its other arm back, shielding its nape just in time.
But this left its front wide open. The boy with the boar head mask charged forward like a wild beast, swinging both his serrated blades at the sides of the demon's throat.
"Beast Breathing, Third Fang: Devour!"
The three coordinated perfectly, all three blades finding their marks. But their expressions changed instantly.
"Too hard! We can't cut through!"
Their blades only managed to bite into the surface of the skin; they hadn't even come close to drawing blood.
"NO ONE HURTS MY FAMILY!"
With a deafening roar, the Father Demon's muscles bulged. The sheer force of its expanding flesh shattered the three boys' Nichirin Swords into fragments. With a violent swing of its arms followed by a heavy kick, it sent all three boys flying backward, coughing up blood.
"He's this strong and he isn't even one of the Twelve Kizuki... how are we supposed to fight Lower Rank Five?"
As they tumbled through the air, despair took hold. After entering the mountain, they had encountered a terrifying human-headed spider demon. It was a brutal fight, but the three of them had managed to win together.
But upon reaching the summit, they were intercepted by these three. Among them, the smallest—the white-haired boy—was a legendary member of the Twelve Kizuki, with the mark of Lower Rank Five etched into his eyes. They had hoped to team up and take him down, only to find they couldn't even defeat the "Father," who wasn't even a ranked demon.
Earlier, they could at least graze him, but once the Father Demon used his Blood Demon Art to harden his body, they couldn't even break his defense—and now their swords were gone.
"Ah!"
The girl fighting the Older Sister Demon saw the boys go down and tried to rush to their aid, but she was snared by the sister's threads, dragging her back into the duel.
Just then, a blur of motion swept through the clearing, catching all three boys and setting them down gently.
"You're Demon Slayers too, right? Rest here and don't move. I'll take care of these guys."
Goku had arrived just in time. He didn't know these slayers, but since they held Nichirin Swords and were fighting demons, they were clearly on the same side.
"He's too strong... we have to go together," the boy with the scar said, bracing himself with his broken sword.
The blond boy and the boar-headed boy struggled to their feet as well. Their fight had taught them just how terrifying the Father Demon was, and the even stronger Lower Rank Five hadn't even made a move yet. Even if this newcomer was strong, they didn't believe he could win alone.
"No need. If you want to fight, go help her," Goku pointed to the girl struggling against the Sister Demon. He began to stretch his limbs, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I want a fair, one-on-one duel with this guy!"
The Father Demon was massive, radiating an intimidating aura, and his skin was hard enough to shatter Nichirin Swords. To Goku, he looked like a fantastic opponent.
"It seems that useless Mother is dead," Rui said from his perch on the roof, idly tangling spider silk between his fingers. His voice was chillingly detached. "Father, if you continue to be this slow, you can join Mother in death. I have no use for family members who can't protect me. And that goes for you too, Sister."
The Father and Sister demons stiffened, their faces contorting with terror. Desperate, they unleashed every ounce of power they possessed. The Father Demon leaped high into the air, lunging toward Goku and the three boys.
"Watch out!"
The three boys dropped into their breathing stances, ready to intercept. But before they could move, Goku had already launched himself upward, meeting the Father Demon in mid-air.
*BOOM!*
Goku's fist collided with the Father's.
"Oh no! He doesn't have a Nichirin Sword!"
The boy with the scar and his friends felt their hearts sink. To kill a demon at night, you needed a Nichirin blade to take its head; it was the only way for humans to truly win. Even with Breathing Styles, a human's physical peak could rarely match a demon's raw power and regeneration.
Fighting a demon bare-handed was suicide unless the demon was incredibly weak. And the Father Demon was clearly not weak—he was a monster that could tank their secret techniques and break their swords with his skin.
"He's done for."
They braced themselves for the bloody sight of Goku's arm being pulverized.
"WHAT?!"
The next second, they nearly screamed in shock. After the two fists collided, Goku's hand was completely unharmed, while the Father Demon's entire arm exploded into a spray of blood and bone.
*CRASH!*
With a heavy thud, Goku flipped back and landed perfectly on his feet. The Father Demon was sent crashing like a meteor into the house behind them.
"Oh? How interesting."
Rui hopped down from the roof, a hint of genuine surprise on his face. He hadn't expected someone to destroy his Father's arm with a bare fist. The sheer raw power was astonishing. After receiving Rui's blood, the Father's Blood Demon Art could harden his body to a level only slightly below Rui's own.
"Your strength is impressive," Rui suggested, his tone becoming strangely eager. "How about I turn you into a demon? You can be my older brother."
Rui felt that if this boy were transformed, he would become even more powerful—the perfect "Brother" to protect him.
"I'm not interested in being a demon," Goku replied without a second thought. "After I finish this duel, you're next."
Turning into a demon might increase strength, but according to Uncle Mita and the Mother Demon's memories, it meant losing one's soul and fearing the sun. Goku didn't need that kind of power. And after seeing the Mother's memories, he had already decided to put an end to Rui, the source of the suffering on this mountain.
"Then just die!"
Rui's eyes turned icy at the rejection. At that moment, the Father Demon crawled out from the rubble, roaring in fury as he charged Goku again. Thanks to his demonic regeneration, his exploded arm had already completely healed.
"Don't hold back! I'm pretty strong too, so fight me with everything you've got!"
Goku rushed forward to meet him again. He figured the Father Demon must have underestimated him the first time. If the demon fought seriously, Goku thought they might actually have a decent scrap.
However, he quickly realized he had been overthinking it.
***
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