It was like the blade sinking into rock, completely immovable.
Deep astonishment appeared in Tanjirou's eyes, and his arm trembled constantly from the effort.
Perhaps due to his height, the oppressive feeling the six-eyed monster in front of him gave off was much stronger than what Miss Mizuki exerted.
His body, which had already adapted to Miss Mizuki's Battle Aura, began to tremble again.
Kokushibou intercepted the Nichirin Blade with one hand, raising his other hand high, the blade covered in eyeballs stood straight up.
At this moment, Tanjirou even held his breath.
In a trance, it was like returning to an afternoon at the Butterfly Mansion, when he, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Kanao, and Mr. Rengoku worked together, yet could not defeat or even suppress Miss Mizuki.
In their fights, Miss Mizuki often blocked their swings using only her hand.
The gap in Combat Power between the two sides was so despairing it left him powerless... Kokushibou swung his blade down, but whether it was too casual or he simply didn't take it seriously, was unclear.
The speed of the blade couldn't really be called fast; it seemed like a casual movement.
The one-armed Uzui Tengen seized the opportunity, lunged fiercely toward Tanjirou, knocking him aside, and the two figures tumbled over and over on the ground.
Tanjirou struggled to his feet from the ground and said anxiously, "Mr. Uzui... your arm..."
"I'm fine," Uzui Tengen replied with difficulty, cold sweat breaking out on his cheeks from the pain.
He clutched his profusely bleeding severed arm, unable to treat the injury, his nerves taut as he looked toward Kokushibou.
The situation hadn't changed; in fact, it had gotten worse.
Originally, only he might have been sacrificed... Kokushibou still held Tanjirou's blade in his hand and slowly turned around, his six eyes staring directly at them.
His relaxed posture was like someone taking a stroll.
Kokushibou stepped half a pace forward. Uzui Tengen's muscles instinctively tensed up, his eyes locked firmly onto Kokushibou.
Kokushibou casually tossed the blade, embedding it in the ground right in front of Tanjirou.
Tanjirou looked at Kokushibou, bewildered, not understanding the demon's actions.
Kokushibou paid no mind, saying calmly, "Can this kind of weak power even be called Sun Breathing?"
Tanjirou felt as if his heart had been struck by a heavy hammer.
"Forget approaching Yoriichi, even Mizuki, who isn't skilled in Sun Breathing, is far stronger than you."
Back then, he and Muzan killed all the humans who knew Sun Breathing, precisely because they feared this Breathing Technique would pose a threat to them.
But hundreds of years had only proven one thing.
What was strong wasn't the Breathing Technique; it was only Yoriichi.
In comparison, the Sun Breathing used by the young man before him was as immature as a child's.
"If Mizuki sees you as the hope for defeating Lord Muzan, then she is truly foolish."
She had already hidden for hundreds of years, so what good would finding this boy who could use Sun Breathing do?
In his opinion, Tanjirou's only advantage was perhaps that he was more suited to Sun Breathing than he or Mizuki, and could use it without side effects.
Tanjirou grit his teeth, stood up, and pulled out the Nichirin Blade.
He was, of course, well aware that he was weak.
But... he couldn't back down here... He wanted to prove that Miss Mizuki wasn't foolish.
Uzui Tengen stopped him, staring at Kokushibou and saying, "This is no time to act rashly. Listen up, leave this place to me. You go meet up with her first."
Tanjirou understood what he meant and took a deep breath. "Mr. Uzui, it should be the injured person who goes to seek help."
"Idiot, this is no time to show off—" Just as Mr. Uzui's scolding words left his mouth, a slow, death-like voice sounded behind them.
"No need..."
The moment they heard the voice, the two dodged, one to the left and one to the right.
"Get out of the way quickly!" Uzui Tengen's panicked voice came from afar.
Tanjirou planted his feet on the ground, quickly turned his body to look back, and Kokushibou's figure was already right in front of him.
Was he attacking him?
While trembling with fear, Tanjirou exhaled a red aura, sweeping his Nichirin Blade horizontally in front of him.
"Sun Breathing, Third Form: Blazing Crimson Mirror!"
Two orange-red arc slashes appeared, one on the left and one on the right, like a crimson sun reflected in a mirror.
"Truly pathetic..." Kokushibou calmly raised his blade, then lightly flicked it.
The Nichirin Blade and the demon blade collided, but didn't even hold for a moment.
Crack... The black blade snapped immediately, flipping several times in the air before embedding itself in the ground.
Tanjirou's breathing hitched, and a momentary look of confusion appeared in his red eyes.
He remembered Miss Mizuki once saying.
When the skill level between humans and demons was similar, setting aside Blood Demon Art, the Nichirin Blade actually had a greater advantage in pure weapon combat.
Because most demon weapons were formed from their own flesh and blood, in a head-on clash, the Nichirin Blade was stronger in the vast majority of cases.
But... his blade was cut by the demon blade.
Why?
Even though he had awakened the exact same Demon Slayer Mark as Miss Mizuki... Kokushibou did not stop, his powerful body pressed forward, and he gripped Tanjirou's neck with one hand, lifting him entirely off the ground.
"Ugh..." Tanjirou reached out with a look of agony, trying to pry Kokushibou's fingers open, but he couldn't exert enough strength.
"Let him go!"
Uzui Tengen charged forward, holding his blade with one hand.
Kokushibou didn't even look back, counter-slashing with a purple Crescent Moon Slash that reached Uzui Tengen in the blink of an eye.
Uzui Tengen gritted his teeth and swung his blade to meet it.
He couldn't parry it!
The powerful slash nearly knocked him over. Uzui Tengen's muscles bulged all over his body, and he let out a roar.
"Ah!"
He slammed the blade toward the ground.
"Boom!"
With an explosion, the Crescent Moon Slash embedded itself underground, kicking up a cloud of dust, and blasting a massive crater into the earth.
Using the cover of the dust cloud, several Kunai shot out, piercing through the smoke.
Kokushibou frowned slightly, turned his head slightly, and casually made another slash. The attack, which swept through the air, shredded all the Kunai.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept in from the side.
Kokushibou leaned back slightly and looked over. He saw a beautiful figure supporting herself with one hand on Tanjirou's shoulder, tilting her body and sweeping her right leg toward Kokushibou's head, looking ready to shatter it.
A demon... and a demon whose aura was infinitely close to that of an Upper Rank... He had sensed the presence inside the boy's box long ago, so he didn't show much emotional fluctuation.
Swish swish!!
A chilling flash of light passed, a hint of pain flashed across Nezuko's face, and her right leg was instantly severed.
But it was enough.
Using this surprise attack, Nezuko grabbed Tanjirou's collar with one hand and quickly retreated.
Stabilizing himself, Tanjirou looked at Nezuko's right leg, which had already begun to heal:
"Are you okay, Nezuko!"
Nezuko shook her head.
Although Nezuko was fine, the monster, like the God of Death, moved again.
Kokushibou approached slowly, each step seemingly trampling on their hearts.
Uzui Tengen stood in front of them both, saying flatly without turning his head, "Get out of here quickly."
"But..."
"Can't you understand?! If we stay here, we'll all die!" Uzui Tengen roared. "Don't you still want to turn your sister back into a human?"
Turning his sister back into a human... Kokushibou's advancing footsteps paused slightly.
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 40 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!