Sanemi Shinazugawa had severed Kokushibo's legs and taken them away in the same motion, then pierced them directly with his Nichirin Sword, pinning them down so they could not move.
Without his legs, Kokushibo had lost more than half of his mobility.
Now, under everyone's combined assault, escape was clearly impossible for him. Even though he had broken past the limit of demons and could not be killed by decapitation, his defeat was only a matter of time.
Demons were nearly immortal, but that did not mean they could not be killed.
If a Nichirin Sword could not finish him, then once daylight arrived and Kokushibo was exposed to the sun, he would die all the same.
At least, that was how things stood right now.
Having lost both legs, Kokushibo kept swinging his blade, blocking Soma's relentless Nichirin Sword strikes. Perhaps Soma's swordsmanship did not contain many flourishes, but every slash was fast, fierce, and tremendously heavy. Merely blocking them was already extremely difficult.
Kokushibo felt that even facing Soma alone would have been exhausting enough.
And yet Soma was not the only opponent before him. Kanao, hidden within the shadows behind Soma, rarely struck, but every time she did, her attacks were ruthless and venomous. From the very beginning, Kokushibo had suffered because of her.
There were also Gyomei Himejima, Kyojuro Rengoku… and the swordsmen continuously rushing in to reinforce them.
"Flame Breathing, Ninth Form: Rengoku!"
Burning with fierce passion, Kyojuro Rengoku seemed to charge forward wrapped in the flames of hell itself. He closed in on Kokushibo in an instant, carving a deep and severe wound into him.
"Stone Breathing, Second Form: Upper Smash!"
At that moment, Gyomei Himejima leapt high into the air, using his chain to control the spiked flail as it came crashing down toward Kokushibo's head.
Boom!
The spiked flail, powerful enough to shatter stone, failed to completely crush Kokushibo's head into pulp—but it still flattened it in an instant.
Kokushibo's legs had been cut off earlier and pinned down by Sanemi Shinazugawa. Soon, his arms were severed as well and suppressed by Kyojuro Rengoku.
With the body of an Upper Rank demon, he could still quickly grow new arms and legs. But that was only when facing ordinary Nichirin Sword attacks.
In truth, by now, whether it was Sanemi Shinazugawa, Gyomei Himejima, or Kyojuro Rengoku, every Nichirin Sword strike carried the effect of a Bright Red Nichirin Sword. Each cut burned into Kokushibo's body with scorching damage, suppressing his powerful regeneration.
"Hah!"
Soma brought his blade down once more, cleanly severing the six-eyed head from Kokushibo's body.
The severed head hit the ground and continued to twitch.
Whoosh!
Soma hurled his Nichirin Sword. It pierced straight through the head and drove deep into the earth, pinning it firmly in place.
At this point, Kokushibo had completely lost the ability to resist.
His legs were pinned by Sanemi Shinazugawa.
His arms were held down by Kyojuro Rengoku.
His torso was being relentlessly pounded by Gyomei Himejima's spiked flail.
And now even his remaining head had been pierced by a Nichirin Sword and pinned into the earth.
...
Perhaps from the beginning of his life until now, Kokushibo had never experienced such a miserable moment. His entire body had practically been dismembered. Although his powerful body as Upper Rank One kept him from dying, the pain he suffered was very real.
"Hah… hah…"
The blade driven through his throat into the ground caused his breathing to come out in ragged, trembling gasps of agony.
Soma stepped forward and looked down at the scene.
Kokushibo was incredibly strong. His swordsmanship was unparalleled, his demon body immensely powerful, his regeneration extraordinary. Yet even he had been brought to this miserable end.
All they needed now was to wait for the sun to rise, and he would be finished.
"Namu Amida Butsu…"
Gyomei Himejima brought his spiked flail down once more, flattening Kokushibo's torso again. "All we need to do now is wait for the sun to rise. Then everything will be over."
"It's finally coming to an end. Being able to kill Upper Rank One… this is truly wonderful."
Kyojuro Rengoku struck Kokushibo's arms again with his blade, his face full of blazing enthusiasm.
"Once the sun rises, it will completely purify this disgusting thing."
A faint trace of ease appeared in Sanemi Shinazugawa's fierce eyes.
"Hah… hah…"
Kokushibo continued to breathe raggedly, his six crimson eyes fixed on the group—especially on Soma, who was slowly walking toward him.
Soma approached and gazed down at the miserable Kokushibo. Their eyes met in silence. Within Kokushibo's crimson irises, Soma could faintly see the reflection of a deep, bloody red.
Soma understood well—Muzan Kibutsuji had been watching this battle from the very beginning. He must have seen the current situation clearly.
Given Muzan's cautious nature, he probably would not show himself easily. But could he truly stand by and watch his strongest subordinate be dragged into the sunlight and burned alive?
Soma doubted it.
"Bring the chains. Lock him up quickly."
Soma gave the order in a low voice.
They had come prepared. Several swordsmen rushed forward carrying chains and a specially crafted iron box.
They moved swiftly. Using their Nichirin Swords, they cut Kokushibo's already dismembered body into even smaller pieces. Then they bound each part with chains, sealed them inside the iron box, and locked it tightly.
Once Kokushibo's final head was locked inside the box, Sanemi Shinazugawa walked over, clutching the wound on his chest. The pain made him grimace, but his expression was relaxed—almost joyful.
"We only need to wait until daylight. Then everything ends."
Gyomei Himejima and Kyojuro Rengoku also seemed to relax at that moment.
Even many of the surrounding swordsmen let out long breaths of relief.
But soon, everyone's attention fell on Soma.
He did not look relaxed at all. In fact, his hand had tightened around the hilt of his blade.
He was still standing in a battle-ready stance.
Seeing this, Gyomei Himejima and the others felt their hearts tighten.
"It is not over yet?"
Gyomei Himejima pressed his palms together, his expression solemn.
Soma did not answer him immediately. Instead, he looked toward the sky.
The moon hung high above, still casting down gentle light, while the sky remained deep and dark.
"The night is still long."
Soma spoke quietly.
A chill passed through everyone's hearts.
Kokushibo had basically been dealt with. If this still was not over, then what else was waiting for them?
Almost at that instant, one demon surfaced in everyone's mind.
"Will Muzan Kibutsuji come?"
Sanemi Shinazugawa gripped the hilt of his blade tightly, his eyes filled with both excitement and tension. He had not participated in the last siege against Muzan Kibutsuji, but he still knew how terrifying Muzan was.
Gyomei Himejima pressed his palms together, his hand trembling slightly around the chain. In the last battle, he had personally experienced Muzan Kibutsuji's terror. In their current situation, could they really hold Muzan off until daylight?
Last time, even with such a powerful lineup, they had failed.
What about this time?
Through his Mind's Eye, Gyomei Himejima sensed the strength of the swordsmen around them. Compared with the last siege against Muzan Kibutsuji, they were clearly far weaker. It was probably not enough.
Even if they did not fear sacrifice, they might still be unable to do it.
If there was one difference between this time and the last, perhaps it was…
Unconsciously, Gyomei Himejima turned his attention to Soma, and to the young woman hidden within his shadow.
Will they be our hope this time?
Everyone's hearts grew heavy as they watched their surroundings with caution.
They were clearly in the bustling district of Yoshiwara, yet everything around them was silent. The streets were deserted, and a cold wind swept through.
Rustle, rustle…
At some point, a faint, restless sound began to mix with the cold wind, breaking the silence.
At the end of the darkness in the distance, demon shadows appeared one after another, leaping swiftly across rooftops and running through the streets.
A black mass of them closed in from every direction.
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