"Inosuke! Move!"
"Move!"
Inosuke swallowed, no longer hesitating; he heard it, this demon's goal was to kill Yosuke!
That red owl didn't seem to be his opponent either!
"This great me knows! No need for Tanjirou to tell me!"
"Is that so? My apologies!"
Gritting his teeth, he raised his nichirin blade, he had to use Hinokami Kagura!
Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to harm this powerful demon!
"Hiss..."
Taking a strong breath, he gripped the hilt of his blade with both hands and charged towards Akaza, he was different now, he had grown stronger!
He couldn't just sit there and wait for others to save him; he had to rely on himself!
He had to help, or everyone would die!
"Tsk, do you guys have some misunderstanding?" Akaza twisted his neck, his disdainful gaze looking down from above, combined with his powerful aura, made Tanjirou break out in a cold sweat.
"Weaklings, just run away in fear, what are you doing getting in the way?"
"This is a battlefield for the strong; weaklings should be grateful to even survive, why are you getting involved?"
"I won't admit you're strong!" Tanjirou yelled, gritting his teeth, adjusting his breathing, his eyes sharp.
"Hinokami Kagura: Waltz!"
Pushing off the ground, he shot in front of Akaza, both hands delivering a circular slash towards the opponent's head, the scorching flames unstoppable.
Akaza had no interest in these two weak humans, but... not admitting he was strong?
Heh... he punched and directly blocked Tanjirou's slash, the nichirin blade sinking into his flesh, his eyes paused, the temperature of these flames was even fiercer than the Flame Pillar's.
But it was too weak.
How could this be? He couldn't even cut his bones!
The blade was stuck and couldn't move, Tanjirou tried to pull out his nichirin blade with force, Akaza simply grabbed the blade, pulling Tanjirou closer.
"Say that again?"
The words Upper Moon Three magnified in his eyes, the shattered blue sclera clearly visible to Tanjirou.
The hand gripping the nichirin blade trembled, but Tanjirou couldn't let go; losing his nichirin blade was equivalent to losing his life.
"It's the same no matter how many times I say it, I won't admit you're strong. The strong exist to protect the weak, not to bully them! You are a despicable and shameless scoundrel!"
"Tanjirou!"
At that distance, he would die!
Beast Breathing, Second Fang: Slice and Dice!
Inosuke leaped from above, his two blades crossed, and he launched a combined slash towards Akaza's arm.
He had to cut off that arm!
Despicable and shameless scoundrel?!
Veins bulged on Akaza's face, the oppressive aura around him making Tanjirou gasp for breath.
Destructive Kill: Random Style!
Launched at close range, unavoidable.
Just as both of them were about to be hit by the shockwave, two completely different streaks of light, one white and one red, appeared, their purpose, however, was the same.
They saved Inosuke and Tanjirou respectively.
"Yoizumi-nii!" Held in Yoizumi's arms, Tanjirou shouted.
"Finally arrived." He casually took the nichirin blade stuck in Tanjirou's hand and broke it, his movements pausing, no regeneration?
What's going on?
While Akaza was still confused, an undeniable chill spread across the entire ground, and for no reason, a snowflake-like ice crystal flashed across his eyes, followed by more.
Yoizumi held Tanjirou with a bit too much force, an unspeakable anger filling his chest.
Just barely.
Tanjirou almost died too.
His lips were tightly pressed, that dream.
That incredibly real dream.
A dream that wanted him to drown in happiness.
Even now he knew it was fake, but the happiness, joy, and ease of being with his family in the dream were not fake.
That was a precious thing he had forgotten in some corner.
What a wonderful family.
But... now they were gone, and the only two remaining, he had almost failed to protect just now.
"Yoizumi-nii, I'm fine." Tanjirou reassured him, his brother was very uneasy right now.
"Hmm, are you alright?" Setting Tanjirou down, Yoizumi tilted his head and asked Kyojuro Rengoku.
"I'm perfectly fine!" Blood was still dripping from his jaw, but he was still full of spirit, with Inosuke on his shoulder still struggling to twist his body.
"Put this great me down!"
"Let's continue the fight! Kyoujurou, Yoizumi!"
The frost-white nichirin blade shimmered against the moonlight, a cold aura permeating, Yoizumi's sapphire eyes, rarely, turned into vertical pupils.
An icy aura emanated from Yoizumi, spreading in all directions.
It was snowing.
"A good expression, much better than that indifferent face." Akaza grinned, his head still throbbing from the words of that weak human, desperately needing an outlet.
Hakuji's Haku is the Haku of a Komainu (guardian dog).
A man's face suddenly appeared in his mind.
Who is it?
What is strength? Hmm... I'll have to think about that.
The man's hearty laugh seemed to pierce through his eardrums, echoing.
A strong person, perhaps, is someone who can protect all the people they cherish.
Cherished people... a few snowflakes seemed to fly into his eyes, making Akaza want to close his eyes, but when he opened them again, what he saw was a lovely, sickly girl, in a thin pink kimono, coughing slightly, her cheeks flushed from coughing.
Seeing her, Akaza's heart trembled.
He heard his own voice.
"It's cold, why are you outside."
The girl covered her mouth, her flushed cheeks smiling shyly.
"Because I knew, Hakuji-niisan would come looking for me."
Incredibly.
The girl's words, a single smile.
Made Akaza's entire heart melt into a mess.
Who are they?
Who is Hakuji?
"Hmph..." He covered his head in discomfort, as if something was trying to break free.
He didn't know what was suddenly wrong with Upper Moon Three.
Yoizumi understood, this was an opportunity!
"Rengoku!"
Kyoujurou also poised to strike, lowering his center of gravity, his nichirin blade raised to the side above his head.
Breath of Snow, Second Form: Snow Concealment
Yoizumi's figure became illusory, and Yoizumi appeared simultaneously in all four directions around Akaza, who was covering his head with one hand, temporarily pushing those distracting thoughts aside.
Destructive Kill: Compass!
Can't he sense it?
His eyes scanned the four figures one by one, unable to distinguish which was real, then he would crush them all!
Destructive Kill: Random Style!
He swung both fists in all directions, and after the piercing sound of air being torn, came the sound of flames burning!
Flame Breathing, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger
A tiger's roar echoed through the mountains, scorching heat waves rushed forward, a giant slash like a fierce tiger pouncing on its prey.
The impact grazed the corner of his eye, blurring half of his vision, but Kyoujurou was unaffected, his years of accumulated swordsmanship still showcasing his power.
That demon is gone?!
Blocking with his nichirin blade, his gaze searched everywhere.
A bone-chilling coldness came from above, the falling snowflakes clearly visible to Akaza.
He's above!
He'll be cut! I need to dodge!
Facing the relentless Kyoujurou, Akaza barked.
"Get out of the way!"
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