Tanjirou watched Genya, whose body was rapidly recovering, disappear into the forest, then faced the Hatred Demon with a serious expression, blade in hand.
As expected, this clone, like the previous ones, wouldn't die even if its head was cut off.
Just hold him off; this guy will be the first to lose his composure.
The Hatred Demon's attacks primarily relied on those Wood Dragons, and after activating their Demon Slayer Marks, their physical abilities were greatly enhanced, allowing the three of them to contend with several Wood Dragons.
The power of Upper Rank Four should not be underestimated; although he appeared as a young boy, his oppressive presence was far greater than Gyuutarou's.
It would be unrealistic to rely on the three of them to carry out a beheading operation.
The Hatred Demon, with veins bulging on his forehead, was clearly furious, and the Wood Dragons he controlled were once again reinforced in both speed and power.
The immense momentum they generated forced Tanjirou and the others to barely dodge.
That was not something they could take head-on.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh... The Wood Dragons moved across the ground, their wooden bodies scraping against the surface, emitting sounds of splintering wood as they charged towards Tanjirou like a train engine.
This is too exaggerated!
Sweat beaded on Tanjirou's forehead as he lunged to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack.
How do you behead a monster like this?
It's impossible to even get close... Just then, the attacking Wood Dragon suddenly turned back.
"Uh..." Tanjirou's gaze towards the Hatred Demon froze for a moment.
Behind the Hatred Demon, Inosuke had already charged up, stepping on a Wood Dragon.
Too reckless!!!
"Hahaha, watch this great lord chop off this guy's head with one strike!" Inosuke stepped on the Wood Dragon, moving against the flow, as the Wood Dragons that had been chasing Tanjirou and Zenitsu turned back and crashed into him.
Inosuke leaped high, then used the momentum to step on the incoming Wood Dragon, jumping again.
The Hatred Demon, standing on a Wood Dragon, was now close at hand.
"Good opportunity!" Inosuke's body hung high in the air, his dual blades clasped in his crossed hands. "Beast Breathing, Fourth Fang: Severing Slash!"
Inosuke twisted his body, accelerating his descent, his Nichirin Blade tracing several sharp arcs.
"No, that guy reacted!"
"Inosuke!" Tanjirou saw clearly that they couldn't suppress this guy to create an opportunity for Inosuke.
Just as Tanjirou thought, sensing Inosuke approaching from behind, the Hatred Demon calmly turned around, his mouth slightly agape.
"What?" Inosuke's hair stood on end, a sense of crisis instantly engulfing him.
Like an animal's instinct for survival, Inosuke forcefully interrupted his Sword Form, twisting his body in mid-air.
"Violent Pressure Roaring Wave!"
Buzz buzz buzz!!!
A powerful ultrasonic wave erupted from the Hatred Demon's mouth, narrowly missing Inosuke.
"Pfft~"
The violent pressure merely grazed him, causing Inosuke to spit out blood, his ears ringing.
"Hoo..." Seeing Inosuke dodge the attack, Tanjirou breathed a sigh of relief.
As his breath settled, out of the corner of his eye, a purple crescent-shaped slash flew diagonally from the distant mountain forest.
Tanjirou's rapid breathing hitched.
That monster!
Is he really fighting Miss Mizuki?
Tanjirou was very anxious; they could hold their own here, but what about Miss Mizuki?
...Is anyone over there?
Mizuki moved swiftly through the forest, her temples unnaturally soaked with sweat.
Why is Kokushibou here too?
Does he know she's here?
...A little while ago.
Tokito Muichiro was caught off guard and fanned away by Hantengu's Blood Demon Art.
"I was blown too far; I need to get back quickly." Tokito Muichiro sprinted through the forest at night, holding his Nichirin Blade.
I was careless.
That demon, an Upper Rank?
"Tokito-dono!"
Suddenly, a voice called out to stop him.
Tokito Muichiro halted, turning his head to see a middle-aged man wearing a fire man mask catching up to him.
"Tokito-dono, I didn't expect to meet you here."
Tokito Muichiro tilted his head: "You are?"
"I am your swordsmith, Tetsunomori."
Tokito Muichiro's eyes lit up: "Then, is my blade ready? Hurry and take it out."
This temporary weapon was very uncomfortable to use.
"Ah, your blade is already sharpened. Because I couldn't find you, it's temporarily stored in Haganezuka-san's hut."
"It's not far from here; I'll take you there."
Tetsunomori led Tokito Muichiro towards Haganezuka's forge.
After passing through a patch of woods, Tetsunomori's figure suddenly stopped moving.
"What's wrong?" Tokito Muichiro approached from behind.
"No... it seems there's someone else..." Leaning against a nearby tree, Tetsunomori looked back at Tokito Muichiro while pointing ahead.
Someone?
Tokito Muichiro's expression froze, and he subconsciously looked in the direction his finger was pointing.
Tetsunomori exclaimed, "Such a tall person..."
At the back of the clearing, the hut he had seen a few times before was situated, and at the entrance of that hut, a tall figure stood.
The figure was dressed in purple-black attire, with what appeared to be a weapon at their waist. Their tall stature and broad shoulders made them look like an imposing samurai.
The moment he saw this figure, Tokito Muichiro's blue eyes sharply narrowed.
What?
There's no presence at all.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought there was nothing in front of him.
And this attire, he seemed to have seen it somewhere... While Tokito Muichiro was in a daze, Tetsunomori, oblivious, had already stepped forward.
"Um, excuse me, who are you? What brings you here?"
Tetsunomori didn't sense any danger, walking step by step towards the figure.
"That doll..."
The owner of the figure suddenly spoke, very slowly, but with a steady, penetrating voice.
Even without malice, that extremely oppressive voice made Tetsunomori's heart clench.
Doll?
Tetsunomori remembered: "Ah, you mean yoriichi type zero."
"That was made by the village's former swordsmiths. It's said to be based on a real samurai from the past, isn't it very lifelike?"
It was originally kept by Kotetsu, but it seems to have been requisitioned by Lady Mizuki recently.
Kotetsu had even complained about Lady Mizuki to him before.
Well, why not, since Lady Mizuki looks exactly like this doll?
As he spoke, he continued walking forward, when suddenly, a figure blocked his path.
"Tokito-dono?"
"Step back." Tokito Muichiro didn't turn around, staring intently at Kokushibou's back with a serious expression.
"Eh? But..."
Clink... Tokito Muichiro lightly pushed aside the Nichirin Blade at his waist, just as the blade was about to be revealed.
The figure slowly turned around, and a steady voice followed.
"Are you going to draw your blade against me?"
The figure's appearance was revealed before Tokito Muichiro.
Upper Rank... One!
Boom!!!
Tokito Muichiro's pupils constricted to pinpricks, and he felt as if he had been struck in the chest by a heavy hammer, his mind instantly blank.
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