Hearing Tamayo's request, Raiden tightened his grip on his Nichirin blade. In a flash, he appeared behind Muzan and brought the blade down from above, splitting Muzan's head cleanly in two.
Without wasting a second, Raiden kicked Muzan's body aside and lifted Tamayo, carrying her away from the center of the battlefield.
Tamayo had already explained her plan to him beforehand, and Raiden did not try to stop her. Instead, he told her to act without hesitation and not worry about causing him trouble.
Just as he expected, her actions did not make things harder for him. Instead, they weakened Muzan even further.
Before Raiden's strength reached the level of a Super Pillar, the only way to kill Muzan was still sunlight. Everything he was doing now was simply to hold Muzan down until dawn arrived.
Behind him, Muzan's split head began to close again. Blood-colored flesh wriggled violently inside the wound, repairing bone and muscle at a terrifying speed. Within a few seconds, his head was completely restored.
Muzan looked up, his eyes cold and full of malice.
"You really think you can do whatever you want in front of me?"
He frowned slightly, suppressing the chaos inside his body, then stared at Raiden with clear killing intent.
"Blood Demon Art: Black Blood Thorn Brambles."
The moment he spoke, several black thorns burst out from his hands. They twisted like living creatures, covered in sharp barbs, and rushed straight toward Raiden with a sharp whistling sound.
"Why not?" Raiden replied calmly.
He gently placed Tamayo on the ground behind him, then stepped forward and stood in front of her, facing the incoming attack alone.
The thorns surged toward him like long black serpents.
Raiden did not dodge.
He stood completely still, the Nichirin blade hanging loosely at his side, as if the incoming attack meant nothing to him.
The next moment, a violent surge of lightning and flames exploded from his body.
Golden electricity wrapped around him like thunder, while blazing fire rose from his shoulders and arms. The two forces merged, lighting up the entire battlefield.
The black thorn brambles were swallowed instantly.
Electricity crackled around Raiden's body while flames burned fiercely, making it look as if he was wearing a blazing battle robe. His eyes remained calm, and the blade in his hand shone brightly in the storm of lightning and fire.
The black thorns withered under the pressure, turning into ashes that scattered into the night.
Step by step, Raiden walked forward through the fading flames, every step steady and unstoppable.
Muzan watched silently, and for a brief moment, surprise flashed in his eyes.
This brat had grown stronger again.
If he had not come here personally to deal with Raiden, letting him grow any further might have become a real threat. The thought of another Yoriichi Tsugikuni appearing in this world made Muzan's expression even darker.
Raiden had to die here tonight.
Muzan flexed his fingers slightly. In his current condition, killing Raiden would take time. The poison and Tamayo's medicine were still affecting his body, and he needed time to suppress them.
Before he could act again, a furious shout suddenly echoed from the distance.
"You monster! What did you do to the Master?"
The Wind Hashira rushed through the trees, gripping his Nichirin blade tightly.
Raiden let out a breath and said calmly, "This is Kibutsuji Muzan."
The moment the Hashira heard those words, they froze for a split second. Their eyes widened as they stared at the bare-chested man standing in front of them.
Muzan? Why was he here? Where was Kagaya-sama?
"Muzan!"
Tanjiro's voice exploded with rage and hatred, shaking the entire battlefield.
His eyes were filled with pain as he stared straight at the man in front of him. He gripped his Nichirin blade so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
This man had appeared in his nightmares countless times.
Tanjiro still remembered that winter day clearly. He returned home with excitement, only to be greeted by blood everywhere. His mother, his brothers, his sisters, all lying motionless in the snow.
The only one who survived was Nezuko, and even she had been turned into a demon.
Tanjiro's heart burned with hatred.
And now the man responsible stood right in front of him.
His shout snapped the Hashira out of their shock.
"Mist Breathing, Fourth Form!"
"Love Breathing, Fifth Form!"
"Insect Breathing!"
"Snake Breathing, First Form!"
The voices of the Hashira echoed at the same time. Every breathing style surged forward, and Tanjiro's Sun Breathing, the Hinokami Kagura, followed right behind them as they attacked Muzan together.
Muzan smiled coldly.
Suddenly, the ground beneath everyone began to shake violently, as if something enormous was moving beneath it.
"Do you really think this is enough to corner me?" Muzan said coldly. "The place you are going next is hell."
The ground beneath his feet split open with a deafening sound.
The crack spread rapidly, tearing the earth apart like a massive wound. Darkness poured out from below and swallowed everything around them.
Muzan stood at the center of the broken ground, his arms raised as if he were controlling the darkness itself.
Then the space beneath everyone collapsed completely.
An endless dimension filled with wooden doors suddenly opened beneath them. Countless ancient doors floated in the air, each one leading to a different room.
It was the Infinity Castle.
"Annoying insects," Muzan said coldly. "I will kill all of you tonight."
With no ground left beneath them, everyone began to fall.
Raiden had already expected this. Just before the fall dragged him down, he shouted loudly to the others,
"Do not act recklessly. Wait until I contact you!"
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