Tsukumogami's taunting voice rang in Rengoku Kyojuro's ears:
"I'm standing right in front of you. Why won't you strike? Are you completely at a loss?
Let me share a little news — those three brats have already turned on each other. They're badly wounded, collapsed on the ground!"
But Rengoku showed not the slightest trace of worry.
"I believe in young Kamado, young Zenitsu, and the boar-headed boy. Their bonds are strong — they would never harm one another!
And every Blood Demon Art has a weakness. All I need to do is find it, and your trick will be broken!"
Tsukumogami sneered coldly.
"Then by all means, try. But if you're wrong… the price will be death."
Even while defending, Rengoku's mind was racing, analyzing the Blood Demon Art before him.
Every Blood Demon Art required a medium to activate — Enmu's, for instance, needed eye contact to pull victims into his dream traps. If he could just identify the medium here, the art could be unraveled.
The problem was that his five senses were already being manipulated. Even if the medium were right before his eyes, there was no guarantee he would perceive it.
The more agitated he grew, the more frequent and frenzied Fusōki's phantom assaults became.
Then, a spark of inspiration. Rengoku forced himself to empty his heart and mind. As he let go, the frequency of phantom strikes diminished. The outlines of the illusions grew faint and blurry.
"I see now. Your Blood Demon Art isn't so much the manipulation of the five senses as it is the manipulation of emotions. Its effect is simply to make us believe that every image of you is real. By suppressing emotion, by emptying oneself completely… your illusion collapses on its own."
Tsukumogami remained unfazed.
"So you've figured it out. But what of it? In erasing your emotions, you've also abandoned your senses. In such a state, you shouldn't even be able to swing your blade."
Rengoku shut his eyes, mind utterly blank, body still as stone — as if he had abandoned resistance altogether.
"Hmph. Putting on a show, are we? If you've given up, then this play ends here!"
Tsukumogami's fingers sharpened like blades as he thrust for Rengoku's heart.
"Die!"
But just before the strike could land, Rengoku's Nichirin Blade lashed out, severing tsukumogami's hand clean off.
The demon leapt back, snarling, his hand quickly regenerating.
"What?! A mere human, stripped of all senses — how could you possibly strike with such precision?!"
Opening his eyes, Rengoku stood tall. The illusions dissolved into nothingness.
"Humans possess more than five senses. There is another — the instinct honed through relentless training day after day, through countless battles fought with one's life on the line!"
Tsukumogami let out a slow, mocking clap.
"Marvelous. You continue to amuse me, Flame Hashira. Since the beginning, I can count on one hand those who've broken free of my art. And among humans… you are the first.
But don't think your discovery means victory. You can sense it, can't you? The state of those three brats?"
Indeed, Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu were faltering. Unable to distinguish friend from foe, they held back, fighting timidly and without resolve. The sight stirred unease even in Rengoku's heart.
"Your heart wavers! Blood Demon Art: Emotion Manipulation!"
Rengoku's blade moved against his will, unleashing a scorching arc of fire directly toward the three youths.
"Move — now!"
Though he broke free of the control, it was too late to stop the flames.
But before they struck, Nezuko appeared, her kick scattering the blaze into sparks.
"Well done, Kamado girl!" Rengoku called.
Tsukumogami's expression grew grave as his eyes locked onto her. From beginning to end, Nezuko had not once fallen prey to his Blood Demon Art. The thought brought to mind Upper Rank Two, Dōma.
Dōma had been immune because he was born utterly devoid of emotion. But Nezuko clearly possessed emotions of her own — and yet, tsukumogami art had no hold on her.
Refusing to believe it, he tried again:
"Blood Demon Art: 'This Is Not That!'"
For a heartbeat, anger flared across Nezuko's face. Then, flames burst from her body, her gaze turning strangely vacant and serene.
Her fire spread to Tanjiro, purging the haze clouding his mind. Inosuke and Zenitsu likewise regained their clarity.
"Zenitsu, Inosuke! Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine! Damn it, that was suffocating! Couldn't tell who was who — I'll tear that bastard to shreds!" Inosuke snorted two furious jets of steam from his boar mask.
Still asleep, Zenitsu murmured faintly, almost like dream-talk:
"…I'm fine."
Relieved, Tanjiro exhaled. Their bond held fast.
Tsukumogami, however, scowled darkly at Nezuko.
"So. You break my art with another Blood Demon Art. Clever trick. But do you really think that makes you capable of defeating me?
Do you have any idea how many Hashira I've slain since rising to the Upper Ranks? Dozens. And do you know what their faces looked like in their final moments?
Every one of them… was twisted in despair. And I cannot wait to see that same look on all of you."
"Blood Demon Art: Twin Phantoms of Slaughter!"
Before them appeared duplicates — perfect replicas of Rengoku, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Nezuko.
Thinking them mere illusions, Inosuke charged first.
"Beast Breathing, Fourth Fang: Slice 'n' Dice!"
He unleashed a storm of slashes — but his double mirrored him exactly, deflecting every strike with the same form.
Even behind his boar mask, Inosuke's shock was plain.
"What the—?! It's using Beast Breathing?!"
Tanjiro and Zenitsu struck in tandem — only for their doppelgängers to unleash identical techniques, perfectly canceling them out.
Tsukumogami's grin twisted wider.
"These are no illusions. They are entities with the exact same powers you wield. Everything you can do, they can do. And unlike you, they will never tire. Despair, for I will relish every second of your deaths!"
The duplicates advanced all at once. Already exhausted from their earlier battle, Tanjiro and the others were being pushed to the brink. Only Nezuko's support kept them from being overwhelmed outright.
Rengoku tried to break away to aid them, but his own phantom stood in his path.
"Flame Breathing, Third Form: Blazing Universe!"
The clone's strike came down in a fiery arc, flames erupting outward in a sweeping inferno.
"Flame Breathing, Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!"
Rengoku spun, a vortex of fire coiling around him, shielding his body as he dispersed the flames.
The two clashed fiercely, neither yielding. Even when Rengoku cut into his duplicate, the wound regenerated instantly, the phantom pressing its assault.
The battle dragged into deadlock, the stalemate unbroken.
PS: Access advance (100+) chapters at