Akaza was a grandmaster of martial arts.
To speak of his connection with martial arts, one must begin with his first exchange with Mitsuba.
Yes, it was still Mitsuba.
She was the benefactor and nightmare of his entire life.
Over three hundred years ago, when he first fought with Mitsuba in uncontrollable rage and punched her, then was quickly hung up and beaten by her, Akaza actually didn't give up that quickly.
On the contrary, at that time he was still very unconvinced, always feeling that as long as he worked harder, he would surely surpass Mitsuba someday.
For this purpose, Akaza very diligently began studying the martial arts philosophies of various countries, striving to first achieve breakthroughs in martial dao philosophy, thereby reverse-driving the improvement of his practical combat abilities.
Looking back now, that was truly a fulfilling demon life.
Studying painfully under Mitsuba's violent coercion at night, and during the day hiding from her to quietly read and study martial arts books—life was truly extraordinarily fulfilling.
Although later facts proved that Mitsuba was simply a pure cheat, a natural martial arts prodigy, the number one talent in this world—no matter how hard Akaza tried, he could never catch up to her.
But this experience of hard work still greatly expanded Akaza's understanding of martial dao, helping him develop several particularly practical Blood Demon Art techniques.
Just like now.
"Thunder Breathing: Fifth Form: Heat Lightning!"
In the dark night, as Tanjiro was thrown flying, the group of Demon Slayers present simultaneously launched attacks on Akaza.
Among them was a Thunder Breathing swordsman who raised his hand and threw out a long-range slash wrapped in high-temperature lightning toward Akaza.
"Excellent!"
Finally encountering someone who could use long-range attacks!
Akaza immediately couldn't wait to display the technique he specifically developed to counter long-range attack methods!
"Destructive Death: Heaven and Earth Shift!"
Facing that golden thunder charging straight at him, Akaza's hands instantly condensed qi energy, reaching forward and grabbing—actually forcibly catching this thunder in his hands!
"What?!"
This unbelievable scene directly stunned everyone present!
This demon, he actually caught their slash?!
Not blocking, not dispersing, but catching it in his hands like catching a small bug?!
"It's not over yet!"
Face showing wild laughter, wrapped in qi energy, Akaza's hands suddenly pushed, actually sending that golden thunder in his hands back completely unchanged!
The direction—was precisely toward Tanjiro who had just climbed up from the distant tree grove.
Boom!
"Uwaa!"
With a thunder-like explosion, the unprepared Tanjiro was instantly struck by electricity, his whole body paralyzed, nearly lying back down again.
"How about it! Isn't my technique super cool?!"
Before Tanjiro's body could escape the paralyzed state, Akaza charged toward the group of Demon Slayers before him with an excited face, rampaging through them like showing off his skills, using various neutralizing force techniques to throw these people around like rag dolls everywhere!
One of them even happened to smash onto Tanjiro's head, knocking him back down just as he had finally escaped his body's paralysis.
"Too weak, too weak!"
Instantly clearing the field, Akaza's figure flashed, stopping before Rengoku who had similarly just recovered from the trauma of his previous kick.
"Stand up, Kyojuro."
Looking down at Rengoku half-kneeling on the ground, Akaza spoke in a deep voice:
"Don't disappoint me. Your limits are far beyond this. Hurry and stand up, continue fighting with me."
"Huff... take this!"
Not affected by Akaza's provocation, Rengoku merely quickly adjusted his breathing to accumulate power, then abruptly rose, one blade horizontally slashing toward Akaza's neck!
"Too slow!"
His left hand precisely gripping Rengoku's wrist and pushing upward, Akaza's right hand simultaneously formed a fist at his waist side to accumulate power, then toward Rengoku's completely unguarded abdomen, blasted out a fierce punch!
"Guh!"
This punch was powerful and heavy!
Under this terrifying force, Rengoku's entire person left the ground, mouth and eyes wide open, nearly losing consciousness!
Ribs, seemed like two were broken...
The intense pain stimulation from his abdomen nearly stopped his brain from thinking. As Akaza released his hand, Rengoku's body also softly collapsed toward the ground.
"Kyojuro, hurry and awaken your Mark."
Looking down at him lying on the ground, Akaza didn't press his advantage to pursue, but once again spoke in a deep voice:
"Your strength is quite excellent. If you can open your Mark, you can definitely have a good fight with me!
Don't lie on the ground like a loser. Hurry and stand up!
Think of those companions beside you, stimulate your will, release your anger. Immediately stand up and continue swinging your blade at me!"
As the words fell, Rengoku was unable to stand up.
Or rather, he very much wanted to stand up, but his body had completely not recovered from that punch from Akaza just now, utterly unable to let him stand up.
"Is that so... It seems, I was too soft-hearted just now."
Looking down at Rengoku struggling with effort to rise, Akaza lowered his eyelids.
"Could it be because I didn't really kill anyone just now, that I was never able to make you feel a true sense of crisis?"
Speaking thus, Akaza suddenly turned and walked toward a Demon Slayer lying on the ground not far away, unable to move.
"In that case, I think I need not worry about anything anymore. After all, demons and Demon Slayers—we are originally enemies where one must die, are we not?"
"W-wait, I..."
"I don't like killing casually, but if using their deaths can exchange for your smooth awakening of the Mark, then I'm very willing to do so."
Stopping before that unconscious Demon Slayer, Akaza slowly raised his hand.
"Kyojuro, watch carefully! Watch clearly! Open your eyes wide and watch how I'm going to kill him next!"
"Demon! You won't!"
A sudden furious shout rang out beside his ear, but the voice was not Rengoku's.
"Water Breathing: Third Form: Flowing Dance!"
Within the blood-red mandala domain, sky-blue blade light flashed past. A figure wearing a fox mask instantly charged before Akaza, Nichirin Blade swinging rapidly, layer upon layer, continuously slashing over a dozen times at him from various angles!
"Hmph!"
Facing this figure's surprise attack, Akaza instantly entered combat mode. Arms wrapped in qi energy, he forcibly withstood all this figure's attacks head-on, then punched out, blasting this figure back several meters on the spot!
"And me!"
Just as Akaza intended to continue pursuing, at his side, another figure charged like a fierce wind, raising his blade and swinging a massive slash carrying numerous small wind blades toward him!
"Wind Breathing: Sixth Form: Black Wind Mountain Mist?!"
Instantly judging the trajectory of this slash, Akaza lightly tapped his foot, leaping up to evade.
But at this very moment, at his other side, another figure precisely attacked!
"Flower Breathing: Sixth Form: Whirling Peach!"
This figure's blade tip carried a peach-colored slash. She seemed to have predicted Akaza's leaping motion, her figure ethereal as she slashed toward his neck in mid-air!
Under this three-person combined attack sequence, his body still suspended in mid-air, seemingly with no way to evade, Akaza suddenly smiled.
"Destructive Death: Air Type!"
He shouted loudly, arms swinging rapidly, directly swinging out countless remote shockwaves in mid-air. Using this unreasonably domineering remote attack, he forcibly completely interrupted the three people's attack rhythm!
Finally both fists combined, once again打出 a Destructive Death: Chaotic Type, using this super-large shockwave to directly blast all three people flying away!