"Damn it, what is wrong with these brats?"
The house was torn to shreds. Rage held his Zen Staff, searching for the group's figures within the dust and smoke.
Swoosh!
A strong gust of wind rapidly attacked him from behind. He quickly turned, Zen Staff in hand, and heard a soft 'clang,' as the Zen Staff and the Nichirin Blade sparked brightly.
Seeing Tanjirou's peculiar Demon Slayer Mark on his forehead and the Hanafuda Earrings by his ear, Rage's face was filled with fury: "You wretched brat!"
This guy, this guy is the Demon Slayer that Lord Muzan said... must be killed.
During the stalemate, Tanjirou's eyes rapidly scanned the dust and smoke, trying to find the positions of the others.
There are four heads in total, and their regeneration speed is very fast. Is there any pattern? Which one recovers the fastest?!
Tanjirou suddenly recalled the time Mizuki was at the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters after slaying Akaza.
The conversation between the Master and Miss Mizuki at that time.
If he remembered correctly, it went something like this.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya: "Miss Mizuki, the power of the Upper Rank Demon Moons is beyond imagination. Demons who have overcome the weakness of the neck have already appeared. Are the other Upper Ranks like this too? What about Kibutsuji Muzan?"
Mizuki: "Muzan has indeed overcome the weakness of the neck. There is probably no other way to kill him besides sunlight."
"However, overcoming the neck weakness as an Upper Rank is something I believe not just anyone can achieve."
"As for me, I haven't managed to overcome the weakness of the neck either. At most, it's because I overcame sunlight that I can survive decapitation."
Before witnessing Akaza overcoming the weakness of the neck, she didn't even believe Kokushibou possessed such an ability.
Mizuki's conjecture stemmed from a relatively reasonable assumption: if all Upper Ranks could survive decapitation, then during the Final Battle, holding back the other Upper Ranks while simultaneously restraining Muzan...
In terms of Plot Convenience, the difficulty would be far too great.
She couldn't even allocate the battle power between the Upper Ranks and the Pillars.
Tanjirou's eyes brightened slightly.
That's right.
In the end, they are still demons. It's impossible for them to be decapitated and still not die.
There must be some weakness!
A weakness they haven't discovered yet.
"Die!" Rage slammed his Zen Staff onto the ground, and a sizzling electric sound rang out.
Tanjirou quickly snapped back to attention, his eyes covered by dazzling lightning.
"What?" Just as Rage thought he had succeeded, the red-haired brat in front of him suddenly vanished.
He suddenly looked upwards and saw Tanjirou hanging high upside down in mid-air.
What kind of move is this?
"Sun Breathing, Ninth Form: Setting Sun Reversal!"
While avoiding the lightning attack, Tanjirou hung inverted in mid-air, swinging his flame-wreathed Nichirin Blade toward Rage's neck.
What speed!
Rage's vision registered the blade advancing toward his neck; it was too late to dodge, and he was decapitated by a single strike.
Tanjirou landed behind him, his expression showing no signs of relief.
Is he going to split again?
However, this time, Rage merely reattached his head and swung his Zen Staff behind him.
"You wretched brat!"
While blocking the attack, Tanjirou's mind raced.
No splitting. So that's it. Joy, Rage, Sorrow, Pleasure—are four the limit?
Do we have to decapitate them all at once?
Tanjirou shouted into the dust: "Everyone, force these guys together, and we'll decapitate them all at once!"
The veins on Rage's forehead bulged even more. "I've truly been underestimated!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Tanjirou kicked him away.
At the same time, several figures broke through the dust and smoke, colliding with Rage.
Rage's face was filled with shock: "You guys...!"
"Hey, hey, hey, something is really off about these brats!" Pleasure stood up, a trace of cold sweat on his forehead. Although he was smiling, a hint of pressure was palpable.
"Indeed, they don't seem like ordinary swordsmen." Sorrow stood up, clutching his Cross Spear, and touched the spear wound that was healing on his body.
"They are practically..." Joy flapped his wings, blowing away the dust and smoke, revealing the four people surrounding them, "...Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps."
Zenitsu, holding his electric-arc-flashing Nichirin Blade, instantly lost his serious expression: "Eh? Eh? Did he just say I have the strength of a Pillar?"
"This guy has great taste!"
Tanjirou looked embarrassed: "Now is not the time to be saying things like that."
Although Genya didn't look overly happy, the smile at the corner of his mouth was enough to show that he was very satisfied with the results of his recent training.
If he kills these Upper Ranks, he'll finally be able to talk to his Older Brother, right?
Inosuke felt that the sensation was a bit off, and he said in a clumsy voice: "Don't you guys think these fellows are too weak?"
Tanjirou's gaze became serious.
Indeed.
Although these four guys are strange, their strength is completely incomparable to Gyuutarou's. At best, they are at Daki's level. Although stronger than a Lower Rank, they are definitely not in the category of Upper Rank monsters.
On the other side, Rage also vented his anger on his companions.
"What in the world are you guys doing?"
"They are just a few brats! Why haven't you dealt with them yet?"
"What are you talking about? Didn't you fail to deal with your opponent too?"
"Idiot, that brat is the one Lord Muzan..."
The sound of the demons arguing attracted the attention of Tanjirou and the others.
Tanjirou was horrified: "They... are arguing?"
They are supposed to be clones.
Tanjirou's eyes narrowed. Whether they were arguing or not, this was the best opportunity.
"Everyone, move together..."
Before he could finish speaking, the arguing demons suddenly broke into a physical conflict.
"Stop arguing! These brats are strange!"
"If this continues, we won't be able to handle them."
Rage furiously reached out to Pleasure next to him and grabbed his collar.
Pleasure looked panicked: "Hey, hey, you're not thinking of..."
Everyone's pupils trembled violently.
"He's eating... eating him..."
"This guy... is actually eating his own kind..."
Although he didn't quite understand the development of the situation, Tanjirou clearly sensed something was wrong.
"Everyone, hurry and stop them!"
As he spoke, Tanjirou charged forward, attempting to interrupt Rage's act of devouring the other demons.
Rage stuffed Pleasure into his mouth with one hand while swinging his Zen Staff at the area behind him with the other.
Boom!
The moment the weapons clashed, Tanjirou's expression changed, and he was sent flying backward.
His strength... increased!
"What?!" Inosuke and the others were startled, unable to focus on Tanjirou.
Rage had already devoured Pleasure and started devouring Joy.
"We must interrupt this guy." The three dared not delay any longer and raised their blades to strike Rage.
What Zenitsu and the others didn't expect was that Rage, unable to withstand the attacks of three people alone, simply let the Nichirin Blades strike his body, intending to endure the damage with his physical form.
Rage's neck was severed by Inosuke, but Zenitsu keenly noticed that Rage's movements hadn't stopped; he was still relentlessly gnawing on Joy.
The Nichirin Blade in his hand quickly changed direction and stabbed toward Rage's head in mid-air.
Sorrow snatched Rage's head, took Zenitsu's strike for Rage with his back, reattached Rage's head to his body, and then willingly offered himself up.
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