His body felt lighter than ever before, unprecedented massive power instantly filling his four limbs and hundred bones.
Though unable to see it with his own eyes, this sudden change in his body still made Rengoku clearly realize—he had definitely awakened his Mark.
Blood was boiling, every breath carrying scorching hot air. At this moment, Rengoku suddenly felt that Akaza's movements seemed to have slowed.
No, it wasn't him slowing down... it was himself becoming faster!
Among the current Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Stone Hashira Himejima Gyomei possessed terrifying strength that surpassed all other Hashira by a wide margin.
But at this very moment, Rengoku who had smoothly opened his Mark even felt that he already possessed strength capable of fighting evenly with Gyomei at full power without falling behind!
The Mark's existence was actually real—it could actually provide Demon Slayers with such astonishing amplification?!
They could win—tonight they might truly be able to win!
Rengoku had already awakened his Mark. According to the game rules Mitsuba had set before, the Demon Slayer side had already obtained tonight's "victory."
Next, he only needed to sacrifice himself alone to exchange for everyone else leaving.
However, at present, not only did Rengoku have no intention of stopping, but Akaza and Mitsuba opposite him were similarly not stopping either!
They all seemed to be tacitly expecting that tonight's battle could determine true victory and defeat!
"Hahahaha! I knew it! Kyojuro! I knew you could definitely do it!"
Steadily blocking the attacks of the other three Hashira, seeing the Mark emerging on Rengoku's cheek, Akaza laughed loudly, excited to the extreme.
"Hurry and exchange moves with me! The current you! Perhaps can receive this move!"
Arms shaking, forcing back the three Hashira beside him, Akaza's hands suddenly clenched into fists.
Stone tiles beneath his feet cracked, the shirt on his body instantly turning into countless fragments. His entire aura climbed to the peak at this moment, unprecedented fierce qi energy rapidly condensing and forming around his body!
"Technique deployment! Destructive Death: Annihilation Type!"
[Is this his ultimate move? Or...]
Fierce demonic aura assaulted head-on, like ocean waves wantonly washing over everything around them. Trees swayed uneasily, cracks spreading like spiderwebs on the floor tiles!
Under the sweep of this qi wave, Rengoku could even see fine dust being carried floating in mid-air, unable to land!
[Merely the qi energy leaking from his body can create such wonders—what terrifying power this is...]
The strength of Upper Rank demons repeatedly refreshed the limits of everyone's cognition.
"Excellent!"
Not the slightest fear, Rengoku took a deep breath. Both hands gripping tightly, fierce flames ignited from his blade body!
He decided to receive Akaza's move head-on... or rather, he must receive this move.
Upper Rank Three, the Demon of Battle—if he didn't come to receive it, this move would definitely strike others.
He must receive it. Among everyone present, only he could receive this move!
"Sabito, I'll leave the rest to you."
Speaking in a low voice to the three people behind him, Rengoku slowly raised the Nichirin Blade in his hand, shouting loudly:
"Flame Breathing: Ultimate Form: Purgatory!"
His own aura continuously climbing, facing this unprecedented powerful strike from Akaza, Rengoku similarly used his most powerful sword technique.
"Come!"
In the dark night, Rengoku—his entire body wrapped in flames—charged toward Akaza like a shooting star!
"Excellent!"
Facing Rengoku's strongest strike head-on, Akaza grinned widely. Both fists driving infinite qi energy, he pushed forward with force!
Boom!
In the next instant, both sides' attacks collided without suspense!
That scorching flame light briefly illuminated the blood-red mandala domain in this instant, then rapidly extinguished.
[What was the result, what happened to Rengoku-senpai...]
Tanjiro, who had been seriously watching from afar, strained to open his eyes wide. When the flames dissipated, what he first saw was Rengoku who had stopped before Akaza.
The Nichirin Blade in his hand had only swung down halfway, stopping there at a position twenty centimeters diagonally above Akaza's neck.
[Why? Why didn't Rengoku-senpai cut down?!]
Soon, Tanjiro saw the answer.
Slowly shifting his gaze downward, he saw that on both sides of Rengoku's chest and abdomen, two fist-sized holes had simultaneously appeared. Rengoku's fresh blood was slowly seeping from within.
Akaza's both fists had stopped several centimeters before these two holes.
"Ugh... ah... Rengoku-senpai..."
"Kyojuro?!"
This was a result that surprised everyone, including Rengoku himself who found it inconceivable.
Even having awakened his Mark, even with his strength greatly increased, he still couldn't completely withstand this serious strike from Akaza.
[This is really...]
"Alright, game over."
Calmly looking at Rengoku frozen before him, Akaza slowly lowered his arms.
"Kyojuro, you did very well, extremely well. Thank you for letting me fight to my heart's content tonight."
[This is really...]
"I will abide by the agreement. Now, the battle ends. All of you may leave."
Before the words finished, Akaza turned to leave.
[This is really...]
"Kyojuro?!"
Rengoku slowly knelt to the ground. It seemed he heard his companions' shouts by his ear, seemed like someone had rushed to his side, urgently saying something to him.
But Rengoku could no longer hear. At this moment, he couldn't even feel the pain in his chest anymore.
He slowly raised his head, his gaze landing on Akaza's back figure walking away before him.
Yes, he had lost.
Even having awakened his Mark, he was still not this demon's match.
It was strong beyond comprehension.
He had used all his strength, but still couldn't defeat this demon.
Even, couldn't cause it even the slightest real damage...
Truly... a regrettable result...
[Mother, sorry, I...]
[Kyojuro, restrain your aura.]
At this dying moment, from the depths of Rengoku's mind, an extremely familiar voice suddenly rang out.
[Mo...ther?]
Before his eyes grew hazy, the surrounding scenery rapidly changed. The dark night disappeared, the blood-red mandala domain disappeared, the companions beside him also disappeared together.
Replacing them was that familiar Rengoku family estate.
In an instant, Rengoku seemed to suddenly return to his family's estate courtyard.
He stood in place, seeing from afar that familiar figure sitting on the corridor edge—one who had already passed away from illness several years ago.
That was his mother, Rengoku Ruka.
[Here... is this my memory of the past?]
"Ha! Hah!"
Shouts rang out by his ear again. Renguro turned to look.
In the courtyard, a youth was raising a bamboo blade, diligently practicing sword techniques.
That was himself—him in his childhood.
[So it was like this...]
Rengoku calmly watched this scene before him.
Due to his father's decadence, from childhood to adulthood, he had always learned Flame Breathing sword techniques under his mother's supervision.
The himself sweating in the courtyard, the sickly mother sitting on the corridor edge silently watching him, and that father who would only lie in his room completely indifferent to all this...
These were the memories of Rengoku's childhood.
Only Rengoku didn't understand—why, at this time, would he suddenly recall this memory?
He should be about to die soon, right?