Chapter 81: That being said, we don't have to pay for this, do we?
"Slay? Hehe..."
Gyutaro laughed coldly, two blood-colored bone sickles appearing in his hands as he covered his face.
Looking at Tanjiro, he said coldly, "Aren't you a demon too? Why don't I see you slitting your own throat?"
He scratched the markings on his body with sharp nails, blood flowing continuously as he walked to Daki's side.
He held Daki's head in both hands and gently placed it back onto her headless body. Once Daki had reattached her neck, he reached out and gently stroked her hair.
This process wasn't long, but Gyutaro kept his back exposed to Tanjiro the entire time.
After finishing, Gyutaro pulled Daki up, turned to look at Tanjiro, and said softly:
"Quite the gentleman... but why don't you answer my question?"
He gripped the sickles with both hands, a smile on his face: "Why don't you slit your throat?"
Tanjiro gripped his nichirin blade, looked at the gaunt Gyutaro, and took a deep breath: "I also have a beautiful sister, and..."
With a look of absolute conviction in his eyes: "I will take my own life, but only after Muzan has been slain!"
Gyutaro sneered upon hearing this: "Tsk... so you're a hypocrite!"
The moment his voice fell, his hunched figure vanished from the spot!
Extreme stench and killing intent rushed toward them.
"So fast!"
Kanroji Mitsuri, standing to the side, felt a chill in her heart. She couldn't even track Gyutaro's movements and could only instinctively hold her ribbon-like nichirin blade in front of her.
However, Gyutaro's target wasn't her from the start.
It was the young boy who had just severed Daki's head, whose body was burning with solar flames, making him feel extremely displeased!
"Blood Demon Art: Rampant Arrogance!"
Gyutaro's figure spun through the air in a trajectory that completely defied physical common sense.
The two blood-colored bone sickles in his hands turned into two deadly arcs of light, screaming through the air as they aimed straight for Tanjiro's neck!
"Sun Breathing, Fourth Form: Fake Rainbow!"
Tanjiro's focus was highly concentrated, so his reaction was extremely fast, having already anticipated Gyutaro's attack.
Amidst high-speed twists and turns, his figure seemed to turn into several burning afterimages, narrowly avoiding the lethal strike.
But the potent poison on the bone sickles still splashed a few drops of blood onto his arm.
Sizzle!
A puff of blue smoke rose, accompanied by a sharp burning pain.
Tanjiro let out a muffled groan as the flesh on his arm began to rot at a visible speed.
But it quickly healed under the demon's powerful regenerative abilities.
This cycle of pain between destruction and regeneration made him furrow his brows tightly.
"Oh? You actually managed to block my blood sickles? You're a bit interesting, kid."
Gyutaro licked his lips, a touch of morbid playfulness appearing in his gaze toward Tanjiro.
On the other side, Daki, whose head had been put back on by her brother, launched an attack again.
She screamed, her countless ribbons coordinating with Gyutaro to completely separate Tanjiro and Kanroji.
"Die! Die! You ugly freaks!"
The siblings' coordination was seamless, with Gyutaro leading the main assault.
His ghost-like speed and the unpredictable poisoned blood sickles put immense pressure on Tanjiro.
Meanwhile, Daki's ribbons were like an omnipresent spider web, constantly harassing and restricting his movements, creating lethal openings for Gyutaro.
"Teacher was right, Upper Rank Demons... truly cannot be underestimated!"
Tanjiro thought to himself, his dual blades dancing so fast they were airtight.
The solar flames turned everything within a meter around him into a forbidden zone; any ribbon that approached was instantly incinerated.
As for Kanroji Mitsuri, she was tightly entangled by several ribbons Daki had split off, their strength and resilience far exceeding her imagination.
Although her Love Breathing was exquisite, this was her first time fighting an Upper Rank, so she could only protect herself and couldn't break away to provide support.
"Love Breathing, First Form: Shivers of First Love!"
Kanroji Mitsuri gritted her teeth, her muscles tensing as she erupted with staggering power.
The long blade in her hand danced like a spirit snake, instantly severing the several ribbons entangling her.
Just as she wanted to rush toward Tanjiro, more ribbons surged from all directions, trapping her once again.
"Damn it!"
Kanroji was extremely anxious. Looking at the back that continued to hold out under the siblings' onslaught, a sense of powerlessness welled up in her heart.
The other side of the battlefield was also stuck in a stalemate.
"Wind Breathing, Second Form: Claws-Purifying Wind!"
Shinazugawa Sanemi roared, his nichirin blade swinging out four massive claw-shaped wind blades, forcing back the Demon of Sorrow, Aizetsu, who held a long spear.
But he himself was also shaken by Aizetsu's attack, his blood and Qi churning.
"Water Breathing, Seventh Form: Drop Ripple Thrust, Curve!"
Tomioka Giyu's figure was like a ghost as a precise thrust struck Sekido's Thunder Staff, neutralizing the lightning strike he was about to release.
The Kocho Sisters coordinated perfectly. Kanao suppressed the gale from the Demon of Joy, Karaku, head-on, while Shinobu Kocho was like a poisonous bee in the night, constantly seeking opportunities to harass the other Clones with her poison-tipped thin blade.
But Hantengu had too many Clones, and each possessed strength no weaker than a Lower Rank, and they could coordinate with each other.
For a moment, even the four Pillar-level combatants could only barely maintain a stalemate and couldn't break away.
"Must end this quickly!"
Tanjiro took a deep breath, knowing he couldn't drag this out any longer.
Teacher and Brother Uzui were still watching from a distance; he couldn't let them down!
More importantly, he had to personally avenge those who had been victimized by the demons!
"Sun Breathing, Twelfth Form..."
He let out a low growl, the flames burning on his body becoming even more intense as his Aura instantly climbed to its peak.
Seeing this, Daki and Gyutaro both felt a chill in their hearts, sensing a terrifying Aura from the boy that made their very Souls tremble.
That feeling was like facing the sun itself.
"Kill him! Brother!"
Daki screamed.
"Blood Demon Art: Circular Slashes, Flying Blood Sickles!"
Gyutaro used his finishing Move without hesitation. The two blood sickles were like two rotating blood-colored moons, carrying extreme cutting force and sealing off all of Tanjiro's room to dodge.
However, Tanjiro didn't dodge or evade.
He simply raised his dual blades and crossed them in front of his chest.
"Sun Breathing, Tenth Form: Beneficent Radiance!"
In an instant, it was as if a real sun had risen behind him.
Warm and dazzling light erupted with him as the center. The light held no killing intent but carried a majesty that purified everything.
The moment Gyutaro's blood sickles touched the light, they melted away like snow.
Daki's sky-filling ribbons also shattered inch by inch in the light, turning into fly ash.
"What?!"
The siblings cried out in disbelief simultaneously.
And Tanjiro's figure had already passed through the light and appeared before them.
His wine-red eyes were now as bright as burning charcoal.
He saw it clearly.
On the necks of Gyutaro and Daki, a clear white-green thread connecting them appeared.
"Right there!"
"Sun Breathing, Second Form: Clear Blue Sky!"
Tanjiro's figure was like a dragon ascending, his dual blades bringing up a massive vortex of flames as he slashed at both of their necks with an unstoppable force!
Pfft!
Two heads flew up in response.
In mid-air, the faces of Gyutaro and Daki still held traces of extreme shock and confusion.
How could this be... how did he know our secret?
And even though he was hit by my poison... tsk, I forgot this kid is a demon!
Gyutaro looked at Daki's falling head, his eyes full of resentment.
It was happening again... he failed to protect Ume again!
I'm not satisfied!
Not satisfied... Tanjiro looked at the broken white-green line and let out a long sigh of relief, just about to turn and check on Kanroji Mitsuri.
Another dark green line appeared before his eyes.
It appeared on Gyutaro's body. Despite having his neck severed, he still stood in place, the blood sickles in his hands lengthening to hook onto Daki's head.
Tanjiro's eyes narrowed as he gripped his nichirin blades again and charged straight at Gyutaro's body.
Although he didn't know what Gyutaro was doing, he absolutely couldn't let him finish!
"This time, I will definitely protect my sister!"
Gyutaro's head regrew, his limbs lengthened, and his entire form became like a monster, growing several arms.
These arms wrapped around the beautiful Daki in front of his chest, protecting her.
"Brother..."
Daki spoke softly, and then a large number of ribbons wrapped around Gyutaro's arms!
Like a layer of armor.
"This time, let me protect you..."
Clang!
Tanjiro's nichirin blade slashed against Gyutaro's arm, letting out the sound of clashing metal.
Tanjiro's pupils constricted. He stepped on the arm wielding the giant blood scythe and flipped backward.
He was caught by Kanroji Mitsuri: "Are you okay, Tanjiro-kun..."
"I'm fine."
Tanjiro looked at the massive Gyutaro, fire burning in his eyes. He's tough... It seems I haven't reached the Iron-Cutting Realm my teacher spoke of yet; I can only use some Moves.
"Miss Kanroji, please stay away from me. The next Move might hurt you!"
Tanjiro assumed the starting stance of Sun Breathing, First Form, and spoke softly to Kanroji Mitsuri.
"Mhm..."
Kanroji looked at Tanjiro and nodded gently.
"Brat, how could the bond between us siblings lose to a brat like you who isn't even a Hashira!"
Gyutaro swung the giant blood scythe down at his head, his voice overlapping with Daki's on his chest:
"Blood Demon Art: Eight-Layered Blood Scythe Slash!"
Tanjiro looked at the blood scythe in mid-air, which was even larger than the courtesan house, and took a deep breath.
He exhaled two streaks of crimson fire: "Sun Breathing, Thirteenth Form: Hinokami Kagura!"
He began to run, the two nichirin blades in his hands suddenly turning red and burning with scorching flames.
Wherever he passed, everything was ignited by these flames!
Dance, Clear Blue Sky, Raging Sun, Fake Rainbow, Fire Wheel, Burning Bones, Summer Sun, Sunflower Thrust, Flying Wheel Flame, Setting Sun Transformation, Beneficent Radiance, Solar Halo Dragon Dance, Flame Dance!
Sun Breathing, from the First Form to the Twelfth Form.
He unleashed them all the moment he made contact with Gyutaro, like performing a burning dance!
Swish!
The two nichirin blades cut off Daki and Gyutaro's heads once again!
But this time, Tanjiro didn't stop!
He performed Sun Breathing, Thirteenth Form: Hinokami Kagura once more!
The heads of the two siblings turned to ash under the flames.
"We... we won?"
Kanroji Mitsuri sat on the ground, exhausted, staring at the scene in disbelief.
On the other side, Zohakuten, who was struggling against the four Hashira, also let out an unwilling roar as his body began to crumble.
The battle seemed to be over.
At the same time, on a more distant, darker, and more magnificent rooftop.
The battle between Ryuji and Doma had already turned most of the Yoshiwara Flower District into ruins.
"Blood Demon Art: Crystalline White Princesses!"
Doma's laughter echoed in the night sky as two beautiful figures made of ice crystals appeared out of thin air, exhaling bone-chilling frost that blew toward Ryuji with an Aura that could freeze everything.
"Heat Breath!"
Ryuji did not dodge or evade; he simply opened his mouth and a scorching dragon's breath suddenly erupted!
The azure-blue flames and the cold frost collided violently in mid-air, making a sizzling sound and sending up a large cloud of white steam.
"Oh my, what a remarkable ability."
Doma's figure loomed in the steam: "You can breathe fire, you can fly, and your fists are absurdly hard..."
"Mr. Ryuji, you're making me more and more fascinated. Now I know why you don't want to become a demon..."
Doma waved his pair of fans, his rainbow-colored eyes sparkling: "It turns out you're not human either..."
"Shut up! Doma!"
Ryuji's voice was cold.
He no longer held back, his body instantly transforming into an Azure Dragon Form. His massive dragon body wound and spiraled in the night sky, creating violent air currents.
"Wind Disaster!"
Countless fine wind blades shot out from beneath the dragon scales, completely sealing off all of Doma's space to dodge.
"Blood Demon Art: Crystalline Children!"
Doma's expression changed slightly; he felt a trace of true threat from those wind blades.
Five small Ice Bodhisattvas instantly appeared in front of him, guarding him in layers.
However, it was useless!
Those seemingly slender wind blades contained the power to tear everything apart, and the Ice Bodhisattvas were cut to pieces the moment they made contact.
"Interesting."
Doma's figure darted quickly through the wind blades, his golden fans dancing so tightly that not even air could pass through, shattering the wind blades one by one.
But several deep, bone-exposing wounds were still inevitably carved into his body.
"Wind Attraction!"
Ryuji let out a dragon roar, and a gale arose, firmly sucking Doma's body into mid-air.
The next second, his human form appeared in front of Doma. Around his right fist, red and black Conqueror's Haki lightning coiled frantically:
"Fist Bone Impact!"
This punch seemed to drain all the surrounding light and heat.
In Doma's rainbow-colored glassy eyes, for the first time, an emotion called fear truly appeared.
He wanted to dodge, but his body was tightly bound by the gale, unable to Move.
Boom!!!
The terrifying force of the punch slammed solidly into Doma's chest.
At that moment, a scene uncontrollably surfaced in Doma's mind.
It was a snowy night; a gentle woman was holding a baby beside him, softly humming a song.
"It's okay, I will always be by your side..."
A woman?
Who was she?
I seem to have forgotten... No, my memory has always been good. Yes, I can definitely remember!
Puchi.
Doma poked his fingers into his temples, splashing blood all over Ryuji. Ryuji, who had retreated to a distance, had a corner of his mouth twitch.
Looking at Doma, whose body kept making cracking sounds while he still maintained a contemplative look, he frowned. What's going on?
Some new Move?
"So this is what it feels like?"
Doma suddenly smiled at Ryuji.
Crack.
With the final sound, Doma's body was like porcelain struck by a heavy hammer.
Starting from the chest, it cracked inch by inch, turning into ice crystals flying all over the sky.
upper rank two, Doma, has been successfully subjugated!
"Holy crap, grossing me out right before dying? Dammit, I won't be able to sleep tonight..."
Ryuji said with a shudder, deactivating his Beastman Form.
"What a flashy battle."
Uzui Tengen stood beside Ryuji with his arms crossed, glancing at the youngsters who, though in a sorry state, were very excited.
He suddenly had the urge to retire.
These geniuses are simply too dazzling!
"Well, this will be enough to make Muzan heartache. Three Upper Ranks died in one go..."
Ryuji said, glancing down at the Yoshiwara Flower District, which had already turned into ruins, and couldn't help but scratch his head.
"Um... by the way, we don't have to pay for this, do we?"
"Lord Fist Hashira! Lord Sound Hashira!"
Several figures wearing masks with the character for 'Kakushi' ran out from the ruins. Looking at the devastation before them, which looked like a natural disaster had passed through, they were all on the verge of tears.
"This... how long will it take to repair?"
"Is our salary even enough?"
"The Master will kill us..."
...The sun slowly rose from the horizon, its golden brilliance dispelling the darkness of the long night.
The members of the Demon Slayer Corps finally breathed a sigh of relief after confirming there were no remaining demons.
"Great, it's dawn!"
"We won!"
Kamado Tanjiro stood quietly atop the ruins, letting the warm sunlight wash over his entire body, without the slightest hint of discomfort on his face.
Instead, he wore a satisfied and cozy smile.
This scene was seen clearly by the one-eyed female demon holding a biwa in the Infinity Castle.
("!!")
Nakime's body shuddered violently, her single eye filled with extreme shock and disbelief.
She even forgot to pluck the strings.
A demon that... conquered... the sun?
Twang!
The next second, she forced herself to calm down and, with the fastest speed possible, conveyed this revolutionary information to that supreme existence.
"What?!"
A roar of shock and anger exploded in the depths of the Infinity Castle.
Kibutsuji Muzan's figure instantly appeared before Nakime. He grabbed her by the collar, his blood-red vertical pupils burning with a madness and desire unseen for a thousand years.
"Is what you're saying true?!"
"Yes, Lord Muzan."
Nakime answered tremblingly.
"Haha... Hahahahahaha!"
Muzan threw his head back and laughed wildly, his laughter filled with a thousand years of suppressed ecstasy.
"I found it! I finally found it!"
"blue spider lily? What is that? I don't need it anymore!"
"As long as I eat that demon, I can become... the perfect being!"
He released Nakime, greed flashing in his eyes, and immediately issued an order.
"Nakime! At all costs, bring him back to me!"
"And... the location of the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters has also been found."