"You're already strong. Even if you became a demon, you wouldn't have to worry about losing control."
Watching the scene unfold, Akaza's smile spread wider.
"And you could be like me—devote yourself entirely to the martial arts. Only when hunger strikes would you go seek out evildoers, kill them, and eat them. That way, you'd still be protecting humanity, wouldn't you?
"Admit it, Yukinashi. Humans are fragile, afraid of death. You're already scared! Come on—face your true self. Become a demon! Once you do, you'll be able to live as you please, growing stronger without end!"
After a long silence, Akaza noticed the tension drain from Yukinashi's muscles. He burst out laughing and strode forward, stopping right in front of him.
"Good, very good! You've made the right choice! That Lord will surely be pleased! Once you've accumulated enough blood, you'll be as strong as I am!"
Yukinashi simply looked quietly at the Akaza standing before him.
"…I will kill you."
"Excellent! I'll be waiting!"
Akaza extended his hand, forming his palm into a blade and slicing it open.
"Come. Drink this blood, and you'll be free of this weak, frail body!"
"…To be honest, in a way, I rather like your personality."
"Hm?"
Confusion flashed through Akaza's eyes, but in the next instant his pupils shrank as he leapt backward.
"You—?!"
"Wind Breathing, Sixth Form: Black Wind Mountain Mist!"
The azure blade carried roiling black smoke as it cut from Akaza's left jaw straight up to his right eye. Instead of retreating, Yukinashi pressed forward, twisting the long sword in his hands.
"Wind Breathing, Eighth Form:Primary Gale Slash!"
Countless slashes erupted from the blue blade as their point of origin, cleanly shearing off the top of Akaza's skull.
Yukinashi tried to follow up, but Akaza's body—missing the upper half of its face—kicked him away. He crashed through four trees in succession before slamming heavily into the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
He tried several times to rise, but in the end could only lean weakly against a tree he himself had broken. Sitting on the ground, he watched Akaza's wounds regenerate once more.
"Looks like I'm still lacking… cough, cough. I couldn't even seize the last chance heaven gave me."
"Another cheap trick from a weakling."
Akaza snarled, veins bulging across his face as he assumed an attacking stance again. Strangely, his expression was calm.
"I'm angry now. I'll make you die in agony. Even if you kneel and beg, I won't turn you into a demon."
"I've already done everything I could. The rest… I'll leave to my companions."
Yukinashi coughed up more blood, yet a smile appeared on his face.
"I'll be waiting for you down below, Akaza."
"You won't get that far."
The veins on Akaza's face stood out even more.
"I'll make you regret using such petty tricks… Destruction Slash—"
Before he could move, a sharp tearing sound cut through the air as something rapidly approached from afar. Akaza saw only a streak of red. He was inclined to ignore it, but the sense of danger rising from within forced him to decide.
He leapt backward, narrowly avoiding the incoming crimson flash.
The moment he dodged, the red streak slammed into the spot where he had been standing. A thunderous explosion erupted, dust and debris surging outward in all directions. Flying sand and stone made Akaza narrow his eyes.
When the dust finally settled, a massive crater—six meters across and two meters deep—had appeared in the ground. Embedded at its center was a short spear, its red hue not yet fully faded.
"Looks like I'm not too late."
Akaza looked up toward the treetops. A black-haired young man stood on a branch, gazing in Yukinashi's direction. His face was all too familiar—exactly the Bright Red Nichirin Sword swordsman Muzan had mentioned time and again.
[But…]
Akaza frowned as he stared at the crater before him.
[Can a human really do this?]
Hiru ignored Akaza and quickly moved to Yukinashi's side.
"How is it? Can you hold on until dawn, when the Kakushi arrive?"
"Cough… I'll be fine. Sorry—I held you back."
Hiru took out hemostatic and pain-relieving medicine.
"Can you handle it yourself?"
"Yes."
Gasping for breath, Yukinashi accepted the medicine pouch.
"Be careful. That demon is strong."
"Don't worry. I'll deal with him."
Hiru straightened and looked at Akaza. When he saw the number in the demon's eyes, his brow furrowed.
"You're the strongest demon beneath Kokushibo?"
"You really know how to anger people…"
Akaza's mouth twitched as his expression turned savage.
"I'm not like that traitor!"
"Hm? Traitor?"
Hiru froze, frowning.
"Kokushibo broke free? What is Muzan Kibutsuji doing—just letting him go? Tsk… this just got troublesome…"
"Kokushibo… who's that? Cough, cough!"
"The Upper Moon One—or rather, the former Upper Moon One. I encountered him before. You could say he spared my life."
Hiru pulled another short spear from his back and looked at Akaza.
"Once we start fighting, I may not be able to protect you. If you can still move, retreat immediately."
"…Alright."
Knowing he would only be a burden if he stayed, Yukinashi endured the pain and pushed himself up against a stump. The movement tore at his injuries, nearly knocking him back down, and a violent coughing fit followed.
In the end, he could only crawl away at a near-glacial pace.
Hiru didn't look back. Instead, he walked step by step toward Akaza.
"So—when did Kokushibo leave Muzan?"
"What did you do to Kokushibo?"
Akaza demanded as he watched Hiru approach the crater and pull free the short spear.
"Why would he spare your life? Why would he even betray that Lord? That man's nature wouldn't allow such actions. What did you do?"
"Who knows what goes on in the heads of you man-eating demons?"
Hiru rested one short spear on his shoulder and pointed the other at Akaza.
"It's your turn to answer. When did Kokushibo leave Muzan—and why?"
"About half a year ago. As for the reason, I don't know."
Akaza glanced at the retreating Yukinashi, then turned back to Hiru, resuming his attack stance.
"There's one more thing I'm curious about."
"What is it?"
"You achieved what even that Lord couldn't—becoming a perfect being. So why bother protecting humans? Such a boring thing to do."
"Hm… how should I explain those two points to you?"
Hiru rolled his neck.
"Overcoming sunlight… that was actually my attempt at suicide. As for protecting humans, that's just because of my current identity—and because I want to make things unpleasant for you.
"After all…"
Hiru grinned wickedly.
"Aren't demons supposed to live as they please?"