Akaza's golden eyes reflected the intertwined figures of the two, and the fiercely burning flames on the blade.
"Oh!!!" Akaza's eyes were bloodshot, and thick blue veins burst on his arms as he tried to pry Mizuki's blade open.
This guy has immense strength.
Mizuki's brows were furrowed, and her arm also trembled violently.
Her weakness in strength did not disappear after she activated her Demon Slayer Mark. Just like Kochou Shinobu, even if she activated her Demon Slayer Mark, she never thought of changing her Nichirin Blade; strength is only relative.
Even if Kochou Shinobu awakened her Demon Slayer Mark, she would definitely not be stronger than Kanroji Mitsuri.
And the same was true for Mizuki. Akaza, as Upper Rank Three, was a so-called 'Fighting Demon'.
His physical strength was not low; at least... Mizuki, without Demonization, was completely incomparable.
Watching the blade slowly move away from Akaza's neck, a ripple of light flashed in Mizuki's crimson eyes, turning golden.
Fine blue veins appeared on her fair skin.
"Damn it!!!" Akaza roared, the force in his arm suddenly loosened, and he stomped his foot on the ground.
Mizuki's Transparent World had been active, and she had long anticipated his movements.
Upon seeing the change in his muscles and blood flow, she had already responded.
Mizuki lifted her foot and kicked Akaza's calf, breaking it.
As Akaza's body lost balance... Swish!!!
Two brilliant flashes of fire passed, and Akaza's head, completely unable to defend, once again flew high into the air.
His face still showed unwillingness and anger.
The figures of the two flashed, and Rengoku Kyojuro quickly turned around and shouted, "Don't let your guard down, Tanjirou!"
"I know!"
Tanjirou's feet dragged a long mark on the ground as he stabilized his posture and twisted.
Indeed, even after losing its head, Akaza's body did not collapse.
Instead, it charged at Mizuki with even greater force.
A headless body ultimately did not possess the full combat power of its prime. Akaza's body, like a headless fly, wildly swung its fists.
Mizuki was forced back by his berserk attacks, then counter-attacked with her blade.
"Snow Breathing, Sixth Form: Snow Drifts Ten Thousand Miles."
Several massive, snow-colored slashes, without blind spots, cut towards Akaza's body.
Akaza's body reacted quickly to dodge or block, but due to the lack of visual guidance, one arm and one leg were severed by Mizuki's slashes.
While Akaza was regenerating, the two had already arrived behind him, perfectly coordinating to pin Akaza's body down, one on the left and one on the right.
Rengoku Kyojuro suppressed half of Akaza's body and shouted, "We need to pin him down in the open! The sun is about to rise!"
"I know!" Sweat constantly dripped from Tanjirou's forehead; he had already put his entire weight on Akaza.
This guy... he's so strong!
Even the two of them together couldn't completely suppress him.
Hearing their conversation, Akaza's head looked towards the horizon in terror. Indeed, as they said, the sun was about to rise.
Akaza's head seemed to still be connected to his brain, roaring and struggling.
That sudden burst of strength almost knocked the two of them over.
"Oh!..."
Akaza's roar abruptly stopped as a black blade mercilessly plunged into his head.
Mizuki stomped his head into the ground, expressionlessly twisting the hilt of her blade.
Akaza was truly shocked and panicked now, glaring at Mizuki with bloodshot eyes: "You bastard..."
How could he die here like this!
Wouldn't that mean he was a weakling?!
He still had to become even... Swish swish swish!!
Mottled sword light burst forth, and Akaza's head was instantly torn to shreds.
Mizuki looked sideways, only to see that the body, suppressed by Tanjirou and Rengoku Kyojuro, was still struggling, trying to get up.
At the headless neck, flesh and blood were rapidly wriggling, and within a few breaths, an ugly-looking head grew out.
Tanjirou and Kyoujurou were both shocked by this scene.
Even Mizuki couldn't help but frown slightly.
This is troublesome.
Even if the head couldn't be reattached, a new one could grow.
She had originally thought that being undying after decapitation was exclusive to the Demon King, but she never expected that even the so-called Upper Rank Three could break through the limits of demons and successfully overcome the weakness of decapitation by a Nichirin Blade.
If Upper Rank Three could do it... what about the first two?
Especially her 'lemon-eating' older brother... To be honest, while Mizuki wasn't necessarily afraid of him, she didn't have absolute confidence in being able to suppress him under the sunlight.
Mizuki knew Kokushibou's strength too well. He wasn't inferior to Yoriichi because of a lack of talent, but because Yoriichi's talent was too strong.
To be able to develop Moon Breathing, Kokushibou's talent was already unique, second only to Yoriichi.
A ray of sunlight poured down from the sky, falling onto Akaza's body.
Feeling his body being scorched, Akaza's body twisted even more violently, and driven by an intense will to survive, he even managed to throw Tanjirou and the other off.
"Oh no!"
The two quickly got up and chased after Akaza.
Akaza's half-regenerated head, with only one eye, looked towards the horizon in terror, running non-stop towards the forest.
He had to escape to the shadows immediately!
Mizuki took a deep breath. The opponent's will to survive had reached its peak.
But unfortunately, just as demons never pity humans.
Humans also hold no sympathy for demons.
Mizuki stepped forward, mercilessly cutting off his last path of escape.
Seeing Mizuki block his way again, the anger in Akaza's eyes almost materialized.
Azure flowing light circulated around his body; he was clearly going to fight to the death.
Mizuki gripped her sword hilt with her right hand, watching him with calm eyes.
Akaza's body trembled; it was that stance... exactly the same stance as that guy!
Akaza clenched his jaw, his entire body tensed, and after entering striking distance, he suddenly burst forth.
"Destructive Kill: Final Form: Blue Silver Chaotic Radiance!"
Centered on Akaza, hundreds of azure projectiles, like meteors, erupted in an instant.
Their speed was so fast that Tanjirou and Kyoujurou behind could only see constantly flashing lights.
Even they were about to be caught in the blast.
The two instantly stopped and assumed defensive stances.
"Hmph..."
Mizuki's drawn blade brushed against her left palm, and blood spread like a virus, dyeing the entire blade crimson.
Mizuki gently exhaled a purple breath, her golden eyes receding slightly. She stepped forward half a pace, completely changed her sword-holding posture, gripping the hilt with both hands and placing it by her face, displaying an extremely exaggerated stance.
"Snow Breathing, Tenth Form: Moonlight Beneath the Snow."
Then... a blood-red moon rose from the ground.
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