No wonder the Upper Ranks are all a bunch of oddballs.
Upper Rank Two and Three—one loves eating women, the other refuses to eat women.
If the two of you hunted together, your efficiency might actually improve.
Yuko lifted her eyes slightly, her voice indifferent.
"Is that so? Then stand still and let me cut off your head."
It wasn't just about reducing the demon side's high-end combat strength before the final battle…
Yuko still remembered the girl she had seen in that dojo decades ago…
"Huh?"
Akaza was encountering a female swordsman trying to cut off his head for the first time, and couldn't help but give Yuko a closer look.
At first glance, nothing felt unusual.
But the more he looked, the more an inexplicable unease crept into his chest.
Strange…
This woman… he felt like he had seen her somewhere before.
At this moment, the lower half of Yuko's face was still wrapped in white cloth. But everyone knew that if you removed distinctive facial traits, covering only the lower half actually made someone harder to recognize.
Her loose crimson hair, and the fragment of a pattern visible beyond the cloth, gave Akaza a strange sense of familiarity.
Yet it was like something stuck on the tip of his tongue—clearly familiar, yet impossible to name.
Frowning, Akaza decided not to think about it anymore and shifted his gaze to Tanjiro.
"Hey, kid over there. My name is Akaza."
"?"
Tanjiro instinctively looked at Yuko.
She looked a little awkward.
"I wrote it wrong back then…"
Tanjiro: "..."
How do you even write it wrong enough to turn it into 'Akusa' (Evil Seat)? These two names aren't even remotely related!
He had even thought earlier that the Upper Rank's name sounded strangely lacking in intimidation.
Suppressing his inner complaints, Tanjiro stared uneasily at Akaza. That demon's speed earlier had been terrifying—he had barely caught a glimpse of his movement.
If Miss Yuko hadn't intervened, he might not have been able to react in time.
The same went for perception earlier—both Miss Yuko and Rengoku-san had sensed the enemy before he did. He had been the last to notice.
Just like Miss Yuko said… Upper Ranks and Lower Ranks aren't even on the same level.
You could tell just from the aura alone. The crushing pressure was so intense it felt almost tangible, making one tremble uncontrollably.
This was a sobering reminder for Tanjiro. Even though the Master had already acknowledged him as a Hashira, there were still vast differences in strength among the Pillars.
He had only just mastered Constant Total Concentration Breathing. He possessed the legendary Origin Breathing, and had defeated the weakest Lower Rank with Nezuko's help.
Compared to Rengoku-san and the others, he still had a long way to go.
And this was Upper Rank Three—one of the top three.
According to Miss Yuko's judgment, the top three Upper Ranks were not opponents a single Hashira could face alone.
Thankfully, there were three of them here—and both Miss Yuko and Rengoku-san were extremely strong.
Rengoku Kyōjurō raised his sword, his expression solemn.
"Miss Yuko, this one is very dangerous."
No—
He's very weak…
Everyone's surprise took a different form.
Unlike Tanjiro and Rengoku, who were astonished by Akaza's oppressive aura, Yuko's surprise meant the opposite.
This demon was weak…
Not weak in the sense of physical power—his body was clearly tempered through countless battles, his fighting spirit fierce, his presence ominous.
But compared to Yuko's internal standard, Upper Rank Three fell far short.
At the very least, it overturned her previous belief that the top three Upper Ranks could not be faced solo by any Hashira.
Under the gaze of the Transparent World, Akaza's physical strength was laid bare to Yuko.
For a martial demon, physical strength directly represented combat strength—unlike someone like Doma, whose reliance on Blood Demon Art made it impossible to judge clearly through transparency.
Judging by raw conditions alone—
The Stone Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps—the monk with a rare, monstrous physique—would absolutely not be weaker than this demon.
The top three Upper Ranks truly were each in a different tier.
Akaza, having noticed Rengoku due to his voice, showed mild surprise.
"Oh? You're a Hashira, aren't you? I can tell—your fighting spirit is honed to perfection, already close to the highest realm."
Yuko stepped forward half a pace, adopting an attacking stance.
"If we're talking about fighting spirit, yours isn't bad either."
Akaza frowned.
"I already said it, didn't I? I don't kill women, and I don't eat women. You can escape now—"
Before he could finish, his golden pupils shrank to pinpoints.
Yuko's voice sounded at his ear.
"I said it too, didn't I?"
"Since that's the case, then stand still and don't move."
So fast!
Akaza's calm expression shattered instantly. He clenched his teeth and spun around in panic, fear flashing across his face.
Completely different from his earlier ease, every cell in Akaza's body tensed. Just before Yuko's blade came down, he twisted his body.
Leaning back, he crossed his arms in front of his neck.
Slash!
The blade fell—both of Akaza's arms were severed cleanly.
He slammed his feet into the ground.
Boom!
A deep crater exploded beneath him as his body shot backward.
Yuko casually flicked her blade in an arc, dispersing the flying dust. She gave Akaza no chance to breathe, flashing forward in pursuit.
White breath spilled from her lips, her entire form seeming to turn into a streak of pale light.
She's no ordinary opponent!
Akaza hadn't even finished regenerating his arms when he kicked toward Yuko.
"Blood Demon Art: Leg Type: Explosive Flurry!"
Just as the two were about to collide, the white light seemed to strike a mirror—suddenly refracting and changing direction.
"Snow Breathing, Seventh Form: Snow – A Line To the Heaven!"
"Chain!"
Several snow-white threads tore across the dark ground, encircling Akaza completely.
Sweat beaded at Akaza's temple. The pressure Yuko exerted left him no room to cling to his creed of sparing women.
"Blood Demon Art: Compass Needle!"
He dropped into a horse stance as massive snowflake-like patterns bloomed beneath his feet.
Yuko gave it a brief glance, unimpressed.
As a martial demon, even his Blood Demon Art could never escape the framework of physical attacks.
Where is she?!
Akaza scanned his surroundings in panic. With his abilities, he couldn't even track her movements.
And—
Why isn't the Compass Needle reacting?!
Akaza's pupils trembled. There was no fighting spirit on this woman at all.
At that moment of terror, every cell in his body suddenly went still—as if his instincts already knew he was dead, and had given up resisting.
Behind him, a snow-white blade tore through the air.
"What?!"
Akaza tried to twist around in a final struggle, but in that instant he felt a heavy impact against his neck, and the world spun violently.
Thud… thud…
Akaza's head rolled twice across the ground, his face frozen in shock.
He was decapitated?!!!
Just like that… he was decapitated…
He hadn't even grown stronger yet…
He could still have grown stronger…
To be slain without even the strength to properly contend with his opponent—
Wasn't that nothing but utter, complete worthlessness?