Kaigaku lay split in two, his expression frozen in shock. He had never truly entered the fight between Raiden and the demon, only pretended to intervene. And now he was dead.
His fading consciousness flickered with realization: it was Raiden's doing.
Just moments ago, Raiden had stood in front of him. It should have been impossible for Upper Moon One to strike him. The only explanation was that Raiden had been pushed back by Kokushibou's force.
But had Raiden really been repelled? Kaigaku didn't believe it.
Before he tried to help, Raiden and Kokushibou seemed evenly matched, perhaps even with Raiden holding the slight edge. Yet the second Raiden engaged completely, he was suddenly on the defensive.
Desperate to see Raiden's face for answers, Kaigaku tried to turn his head. His body fell limp, unresponsive. His final expression remained a frozen mixture of astonishment and doubt.
The three Demon Slayer Corps members behind them stood in stunned silence, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. Kaigaku was already strong in their eyes. Yet he had died in an instant, struck down by the aftermath of a Moon Breathing slash.
Kaigaku's previous fight had left a strong impression on them. His thunderous strikes and lightning speed were not easily forgotten. But this… a single leftover Moon Breathing attack was all it took to end him.
Could the gap be that large? Was this Upper Moon One truly that powerful? And if Raiden could suppress such a demon even for a moment, what did that mean for his strength?
Fear gripped the three survivors. If Kaigaku, someone they considered formidable, could be killed so quickly… could they even last the night?
Yet among them, the one who had survived the demon's iron fist showed something else—surprise. His eyes flicked between Kaigaku's corpse and Raiden, a strange blend of awe and respect on his face.
If Raiden had not appeared when he did, this man might have become a corpse too. Was Raiden's action intentional? Had he truly let Kaigaku die to teach him a lesson?
The survivor dared not voice this aloud. Even if that had been Raiden's intent, he wouldn't admit it. To others, Kaigaku might have seemed competent, but this man understood exactly what Kaigaku had been like. Those who betray their comrades do not deserve to live in the Demon Slayer Corps.
Raiden stepped slowly out of the rubble, his white hair catching the dim light as he stared at Kaigaku's body, disbelief in his eyes. With a look of indignation rising in his chest, he lifted his nichirin blade and charged at Kokushibou, shouting,
"Kokushibou, you've gone too far."
Kokushibou blinked in confusion. Had Raiden suddenly snapped? What did Kaigaku's death have to do with him? He had not even looked directly at the man when he struck.
Still, the clash resumed.
Steel met steel with a sharp ring. Kokushibou didn't waste time pondering responsibility. To him, life and death were irrelevant tonight—every demon slayer present was destined to fall.
As Kokushibou shifted his stance, his blade pulsed under the moonlight. Crescent‑shaped blades began to form, drifting in the air like spectral fragments of night. These were not simple slashes, but the deadly manifestations of his Moon Breathing technique, each blade sharp enough to tear flesh and armor alike.
Raiden's expression hardened. He could feel the weight of the next attack press down like a shroud. He inhaled deeply, igniting the Flame and Thunder within him until sparks of lightning rippled along his form. Energy flared in response, crackling through the air and meeting the moonlit menace before him.
Lightning and fiery brilliance clashed with glimmering moon blades, sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The three survivors behind them felt their scalps tingle from the impact, unable to tear their eyes away from the monumental collision.
"If you are truly the strongest Pillar I have faced so far, then this ends here," Kokushibou said, his voice calm but his intent lethal.
He had not faced a Pillar this strong in countless years. Raiden's power was undeniable, and even Kokushibou's centuries of mastery had never prepared him for someone who fought back with such creativity and force.
What struck him most was not just Raiden's strength, but his ability to adapt. He was learning, evolving his fighting style in the moment, approaching comprehension that rivalled legendary swordsmen of old. Kokushibou felt a sensation in his throat, as if hardened sand were lodged there, making it difficult to speak.
He could sense Raiden's potential. It was enormous, unprecedented even for someone not born with innate genius like Yoriichi Tsugikuni. But did that make him stronger? Kokushibou couldn't be sure.
Raiden glanced toward the faint light of dawn barely touching the horizon. His heart tightened. He knew Kokushibou had not shown his full strength yet. The demon had greater forms stored within his mastery of Moon Breathing, ones Raiden had not faced.
This moment of hesitation weighed on him. Could he hold on? Was his strength enough to survive the next surge? He hadn't unleashed everything he had, but even now the cost was already high.
Raiden forced his jaw to tighten in resolve. Whether or not his Speckles awakened today, there was no turning back now.
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