The power of this monster is equal to that of Miss Mizuki.
He is absolutely not an opponent that can be defeated alone.
The Transparent World he possesses is an unimaginable countermeasure against swordsmen like them who only know how to slash people with swords.
Mizuki once relied on this ability to move easily amidst their encirclement.
Unless there is an absolute numerical advantage to fill the gaps in others' attacks and deny the opponent any chance to fight back, otherwise, the flaws in the offense will quickly be seen through.
When Muichiro said this, Tanjirou understood his meaning and was about to nod, but his eyes, fixed on Kokushibou, suddenly narrowed, and he immediately shouted.
"Look out!"
The muscles in his body have changed!
...The attack is coming!!
Almost the instant Tanjirou spoke, Kokushibou's figure vanished from everyone's sight.
"A futile gesture."
The cold voice sounded from behind the three of them.
Too fast!
Muichiro was the first to react. He had no intention of looking back, but instead tried to dodge to the side immediately.
Tanjirou and Inosuke, however, were different. Both looked back nervously, their Nichirin Blades raised to their chests.
Tanjirou was thinking of blocking the move, while Inosuke was thinking of turning around and slashing the attacker.
"Not good." Muichiro's pupils slightly contracted as his peripheral vision caught the movements of the other two.
He didn't hesitate, instinctively forced himself to stop, and turned around with the two of them.
Muichiro's eyes slightly trembled.
How strange... why did he make the same mistake as these two?
Spreading out the formation was clearly the best choice right now.
This subconscious divergence was enough to plunge them into danger.
Although he was clearly in danger, an image similar to himself inexplicably flashed through Muichiro's mind.
That figure seemed to be speaking to him, but he couldn't hear or read the lips.
"Moon Breathing..."
The thread of memory suddenly broke, and the formidable, unwavering body of Kokushibou appeared before him, raising the massive demon blade like a War God.
An indescribable sense of pressure instantly maximized, and everyone's bodies seemed to tremble slightly.
That was... fear!
They had fought this far, so why were such emotions appearing?
Before the three could figure it out, the high-hanging demon blade descended toward them.
Death!
At this moment, it was as if they had lost even the courage to resist.
Talk about creating an opportunity... he couldn't do anything at all.
Tanjirou grit his teeth, staring fixedly at the scene.
Too strong.
They were completely not on the same level.
Muichiro was lost in thought again.
He heard that when people die, their past memories flash quickly through their lives like a revolving lantern.
If he was going to die, could he at least remember his past memories?
He could never clearly see the figure in his memories.
"Damn it!!!" Inosuke shouted weakly, his muscles trembling uncontrollably under his struggle, but it was useless.
It seemed to truly confirm what Kokushibou had called a 'futile gesture.'
Just as Kokushibou's long sword was about to fall, a streak of snow color suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision. It started as a point, but quickly grew larger and closer.
What?
That is...!
Kokushibou's pupils sharply contracted. He forcibly stopped his slash and turned to strike back.
"Snow Breathing, Seventh Form: Snow - A Fissure of Light!"
A familiar Sword Form, an unfamiliar voice.
Clang!!
With a crisp sound, the tip of the Nichirin Blade struck the eye-covered demon blade, and a crack appeared.
The force was much weaker than he had imagined.
He didn't even need to investigate; the force of the impact had already eased Kokushibou's tense heart.
What came into view was a beautiful yet unfamiliar face.
Failing to land the blow, Kanae's figure flew backward like a Kochou, gracefully landing in front of Tanjirou and the two others.
Kanao and Kochou Shinobu, carrying the young girl, followed closely behind and arrived by their side.
"Miss Shinobu! Miss Kanae! Kanao!"
At this moment, because Kokushibou's Aura had dissipated, Tanjirou recovered and excitedly greeted them.
"Phew, thank you for your hard work." Looking at Kokushibou's tall figure, Kochou Shinobu paused to catch her breath and said with a smile.
"This person...?" Tanjirou looked at the girl in white robes in surprise.
In his perception, she seemed to be... an ordinary person?
Here, inside the Infinity Castle, full of demons?
"We'll talk later. You go find a place to hide first." Kochou Shinobu told Tanjirou, then spoke to the young girl.
"Mhm." The girl, looking nervous at their setup, nodded and quickly ran to a corner.
There was no other way; this was the demon's lair. If they didn't keep the girl close, she would die even faster.
"Six swordsmen who have activated the Demon Slayer Mark?" Kokushibou calmly evaluated. "This level of power is no less than that of the Hashira during the Sengoku Period."
Even the swordsmen taught by Yoriichi mostly only managed to activate the Demon Slayer Mark.
To some extent, Mizuki had already accomplished what Yoriichi had done back then.
"And... that Breathing Technique..." Kokushibou's eyes shifted to the wary Kanae. He was silent for a moment, then inexplicably said, "I see. So you are the person Mizuki spoke of."
?
Although she didn't quite understand the meaning, she assumed he was referring to her inheriting Miss Mizuki's Breathing Technique. Thus, Kanae nodded calmly.
But Kokushibou's next words instantly stunned her.
"The girl Mizuki likes."
...Everyone: "...Huh?"
The previously heavy atmosphere immediately became strange.
Everyone widened their eyes, as if unable to believe their ears. What exactly did they hear coming from the mouth of this monster?
What does that mean?
Did it mean what they thought it meant?
"I see..." Kokushibou placed a hand on his chin, looking serious, like an older brother-in-law evaluating his sister's partner. "In terms of posture and appearance, she is indeed a rare beauty."
Although the gender was somewhat beyond his comprehension, his sister's taste was still decent.
She wasn't some ugly, worthless person.
While Kanae was still stunned, Kochou Shinobu's temple twitched, and she looked at him with a dark expression.
"Hey, you bastard over there."
The sudden insult made Kokushibou involuntarily turn his gaze.
It was the woman who had saved Mizuki from him earlier.
The cross-hatch mark on Kochou Shinobu's forehead did not fade, and a deathly smile curved her lips: "Are the eyes growing on your head just decorations?"
Kokushibou: "..."
At first, when this girl appeared in that scene, he indeed misunderstood that she was the girl Mizuki liked.
But thinking about it later, she was too short and too weak.
Looking now, her personality is also awful.
No matter how he looked at it, this woman couldn't possibly mean'she is the person Mizuki likes,' right?
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