Mizuki completely failed to understand why Tanjirou had zoned out for a moment.
She looked at Tanjirou, slightly confused.
Tanjirou sweated, understanding the confusion in Young Miss Mizuki's eyes, but he couldn't possibly say that he had involuntarily stopped his attack because he saw her relieved smile.
For a moment, both were speechless.
Fortunately, the two were currently in a blizzard-like tornado, so others couldn't clearly see the exact situation, only assuming that Mizuki had repelled Tanjirou.
The others didn't give it much thought. After catching Tanjirou, Uzui Tengen immediately retreated with him.
Charging in, one on his left and one on his right, both wielding Nichirin Blades, were Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojuro and Water Hashira Tomioka Giyu.
One on the left and one on the right, one red and one blue, two colors extended from their blades and swept forward, looking like two wings opening up behind Uzui Tengen.
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Shiranui!"
"Water Breathing, First Form: Surface Slash!"
Two completely opposite, yet seamlessly fused, energies—one frantic and one gentle—rushed toward her.
What a thrilling Combination Move.
Boom!!!
The slashes, like two torrents, surged toward Mizuki, blocking her evasion space on both the left and right.
Furthermore, the others had occupied advantageous positions around her, leaving her little room to dodge.
She could only rely on Projecting a Wave of Qi to resist.
Mizuki retreated half a step, changing her sword-wielding stance, holding the blade vertically beside her face.
"That is..." Tanjirou's eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled the Move's skill.
That starting stance is...!
That exaggerated Form...!!
Tanjirou quickly shouted to Uzui Tengen behind him, "Mr. Uzui!"
"Snow Breathing, Tenth Fo..." Mizuki paused, involuntarily glancing toward Tanjirou.
What is this called?
There's an old saying: if the Protagonist shouts inexplicably, they must be up to no good.
"Understood!" Uzui Tengen replied loudly, holding Tanjirou with one arm and reaching toward his waist with the other.
He raised his hand and threw a Kunai toward her.
Mizuki clearly saw the trajectory of his muscle movements, but Kyoujurou and Tomioka Giyu were already closing in.
Being cornered by the two, Mizuki was now experiencing what it meant for two fists to be no match for four hands.
When a group of people rushes you, you don't need to overthink it; you simply can't block them all.
Mizuki knew the Kunai contained poison, but if she dodged the Kunai now, her Sword Form would be misaligned, preventing her from threatening Kyoujurou and Tomioka Giyu ahead.
Pfft~
With a dull thud, the Kunai plunged into her wrist.
Tanjirou's face was covered in cold sweat: "She took the hit?"
When Young Miss Mizuki fought them, she usually wouldn't get injured or be forced to trade damage by taking their attacks.
To the point where Tanjirou had subconsciously forgotten this fact.
Mizuki took the Kunai hit and slammed her arm downward fiercely.
A grinding wheel, resembling a bright moon, crushed down toward the two of them.
The two were already prepared, dodging left and right, and attacked her again with almost no pause.
Mizuki curled her lips and softly parted them: "...Double Strike."
Seeing this scene, Tanjirou shouted almost simultaneously, "There's another Move!"
Kyoujurou, who had trained with Mizuki previously to activate his Demon Slayer Mark, had seen the follow-up to this Move. As Mizuki raised her hand, his body instinctively dodged to the other side.
However... Mizuki's raised wrist stopped halfway and transitioned into a horizontal slash. A gigantic, silvery-white crescent moon, like Sword Qi, vibrated toward the two of them.
"It's a horizontal slash?"
Tanjirou and Kyoujurou's pupils constricted as this thought simultaneously arose in their minds.
The range of the crescent moon attack was no smaller than the diameter of the grinding wheel, encompassing almost the entire area directly in front of her.
Seeing this, Giyuu had no choice but to push off with his toes, leaping up to avoid the attack.
But Kyoujurou couldn't. His preconceived notion caused him to instinctively Move to the side before Mizuki's action was fully formed. His right foot was currently in the air, and by the time he could attempt to dodge, it would likely be too late.
It was too late.
Kyoujurou thought the same. He lowered his gaze, and as he raised his hand, he lowered his body. His cape billowed high behind him, and his Nichirin Blade traced an arc, the blade igniting to form a winding, twisting fire vortex.
"Flame Breathing, Fourth Form: Raging Waves of Flames."
The crescent moon slash struck the flame-like vortex, slicing into it as if cutting through cloth.
Using this slight resistance, Kyoujurou rapidly withdrew, performing a backflip to evade the slash.
The gap in power between the Breathing Techniques was too vast.
Tanjirou's breathing quickened; this was still without Young Miss Mizuki using her Blood Demon Art enhancement.
At the same time, Tomioka Giyu, who was in the air, slammed his Nichirin Blade down violently toward Mizuki.
"Water Breathing, Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin!"
Like a column of water, or a massive club, it plunged straight down.
Mizuki lowered her body, avoiding Tomioka Giyu's attack.
Before she could catch her breath, she was attacked by the crowd again.
"Flower Breathing, Fifth Form: Peonies of Futility."
Kanao lunged forward, rapidly thrusting her Nichirin Blade multiple times. Like the petals of a peony, the sharp tips pierced toward a single point like sharp swords.
"Snow Breathing, Second Form: Snow - Fluttering Catkins."
It wasn't over. A fierce gust of wind struck, bringing a slight chill like a blizzard, causing Mizuki's movements to slow for a moment.
Still not reaching Mizuki's limit, she twisted her body again, avoiding the Move by the narrowest margin.
But... "I got her!"
Sanemi Shinazugawa's arrogant voice came from behind her.
"Celebrating halfway through is not allowed." After several consecutive dodges, Mizuki's movements stabilized. Her Nichirin Blade swung upward from below in a reverse grip toward the back.
Mizuki turned her head.
Sanemi Shinazugawa jumped backward, and seeing her turn, he smiled inexplicably: "You were fooled."
"Mist Breathing, Fourth Form: Shifting Flow Slash!"
A steady voice entered her ears, and a wisp of mist spread toward her.
This continuous rhythm successfully snatched the initiative back.
The next moment, a fierce slash, flowing like clouds and running water, struck.
Mizuki hastily reversed her grip on the sword hilt, and with a crisp clang, she actually managed to block the slash head-on.
Sanemi Shinazugawa's eyes narrowed slightly, and his jaw subconsciously clenched.
What the—she blocked that too?
Sanemi Shinazugawa's heart tightened, but... "Serpent Breathing, First Form: Winding Serpent Slash."
"Love Breathing, Second Form: Anguish-Inducing, Roaming Love."
Mizuki: "..."
She hated this kind of Move.
Mizuki was mid-turn, making it difficult to reposition either her Nichirin Blade or her Scabbard. Under emergency evasion, she only barely avoided Kanroji Mitsuri's dazzling slash.
As for the other person's attack... Mizuki's pale arm spun several times in the air and fell to the ground along with the Scabbard.
She hadn't fully launched her offense yet, but Mizuki certainly didn't intend to be cut by them.
Therefore, she indeed failed to avoid that Move.
The coordination among these few people was getting better and better.
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