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Chapter 855: Battlefields Afar
Chapter 855: Battlefields Afar
The battle commenced with an assertive move from Tomioka Giyuu, closely followed by the Rock Pillar and Water Pillar, among others, who all unleashed their respective breathing techniques.
Just as their combined might was about to erupt, a piercing melody from a pipa reverberated through the air, and the world began to distort and intersect like a mirrored dimension. Floors shifted, gravity became erratic, sending some tumbling upward while others fell downward.
Rui, the master of the Infinity Castle, had manipulated the very floors and space itself, tearing the battlefield asunder and isolating each Hashira.
Tanjiro, along with Muzan Kibutsuji, found themselves in a desolate area, separated from the rest.
Rui was acting under Muzan's orders to isolate Muzan and Tanjiro so that he could devour her and transcend the limits of a demon.
Despite the dire situation, Tanjiro remained calm and listened intently to a voice that whispered in her ear.
"Miss Tanjiro, please bring Mr. Haganezuka to your battlefield to face Muzan Kibutsuji together. Additionally, use your ability to manipulate the locations of the Hashira. Shinobu will surely defeat Upper Moon One. Giyuu, Tanjiro, and Richou will prevail over Upper Moon Two. Butterfly Ninja can overcome Upper Moon Three. Muichirou and Zenitsu can defeat Upper Moon Four. Iguro and Inosuke have the strength to beat Upper Moon Five. Yurichirou can restrain the new Upper Moon Six."
The voice belonged to Kouriyama Kanata, the eldest son of the Kanata family and the heir apparent.
Despite his young age of eight, he had inherited the family's calm demeanor and possessed exceptional analytical skills. Through Yurichirou's unique blood art, he had observed the battlefield and formulated the most effective counterstrategy in an instant.
Without hesitation, Tanjiro trusted the judgment of the new master of the Demon Slayer Corps. With a subtle flick of her finger, countless spatial threads extended through the void.
These threads permeated the entire Infinity Castle, tugging at Richou as he fell, holding back the charging Giyuu, and then, with a sharp pull, flinging them in different directions.
Swish!
Among the Hashira, the strongest after Shinobu and Butterfly was the Rock Pillar, who found himself yanked alongside Tanjiro by the spatial threads.
Reacting instantly, he tightened his grip on his chain and said, "It seems my task is to join forces with Miss Tanjiro to hold off Muzan Kibutsuji."
Tanjiro nodded slowly and replied, "I'm afraid it won't be easy... Muzan is incredibly powerful, and our previous ambush had no effect. Our odds of victory are slim, so let's just focus on holding him off."
Muzan's voice, cold and detached, echoed, "Is this your strategy? Let's see who will be devoured first—you by me or your Hashira by my demons."
Indeed, Haganezuka's strength was not to be underestimated; he was a rare and formidable human, a "demon monk." Still, he paled in comparison to Muzan, capable only of causing minor distractions. Only Tanjiro, who had also attained the level of a Demon King, could truly face Muzan head-on, but her power was still meager in comparison.
The only thing that gave Muzan pause was the potential for Tanjiro to develop potent poisons. Should he be careless and fall victim to one of her toxins, he could find himself in a dire situation. After all, if Tanjiro had already created the initial medicine, devising a corresponding effective poison was well within her capabilities.
Muzan was not one to take any risks.
...
As Muzan confronted Tanjiro and Haganezuka, in a spacious area where floating floors hung in the void like a colossal arena, two figures stood facing each other.
Kokushibou, the Upper Moon One, held his blade tightly, his six eyes fixed on Shinobu, the Insect Pillar.
Kokushibo paused at Shinobu's words, his voice turning cold. "How do you know about that?"
These matters had transpired centuries ago, and no one in the world should have known about them anymore.
Shinobu shook her head. Instead of answering, she lifted her sword in front of her and met Kokushibo's gaze with a look of pity.
That look made Kokushibo hesitate for a moment, and then he suddenly felt ridiculous.
Who was he? He was Kokushibo, the Upper Moon One, who had dominated the world for centuries without finding an equal.
And yet, he saw pity and sympathy in Shinobu's eyes—sympathy for him!
Absurd!
But at the same time, he also felt anger! Because he had encountered this look once before in his life. It was the look that his brother, Kikoku Yoriichi, had given him when they met again as Yoriichi was aging and nearing death.
That look had also been filled with pity, sorrow, and heartbreak.
"So that's how it is," Kokushibo said. "You've heard about me, and now you're mocking me too? Mocking me for never being able to catch up to him no matter how hard I try."
Kokushibo's eyes turned icy as he stared at Shinobu, his voice filled with deathly energy. "Then let your sword do the talking. Let me see if you truly have the strength to mock me."
With that, he unleashed the Third Form of the Moon Breathing technique!
Boom!
Kokushibo took the initiative and swung his sword, scattering countless moonlights and sending crescent-shaped sword energies crisscrossing through the air, pressing toward Shinobu from all directions.
Shinobu shook her head, her pity vanishing from her eyes as she swung her sword forward.
Vvvvv!
The sword energies crisscrossed and shredded the endless moonlight that came at her.
Although they had already been aware of each other's presence, this was their first confrontation. In this initial test of strength, Shinobu gained a certain understanding of Kokushibo's power and felt a sense of threat. He was the first opponent she had faced since leaving Kanata's realm who truly oppressed her.
Even in her previous encounters with Akaza, including when he had overcome his neck weakness, she had never felt such pressure. But now, her instincts told her that the difference between life and death hung by a thread!
Shinobu and Kokushibo stood facing each other.
Then, they both charged at each other, their swords clashing in mid-air.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
Explosions erupted from all directions, centered on the point where their swords met. Countless moonlight sword energies shattered and exploded around them, cutting off a strand of Shinobu's hair and tearing her clothes.
Kokushibo was also affected, his sword nearly severed, and his face and upper arm bearing sword wounds.
Shh!
Both Kokushibo and Shinobu retreated.
"The wounds inflicted by your blade are irreversible?" Kokushibo said slowly. "No wonder Muzan-sama was in that state before. It seems my battle with you will be like a duel between ordinary swordsmen."
As he spoke, Kokushibo realized that no matter how much he tried to activate his self-healing ability, the wounds on his body wouldn't heal. This meant that Shinobu's sword was far superior to the Nichirin blades, and once injured by it, even he, as a demon, couldn't heal, just like an ordinary person.
(End of Chapter)
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