When those six glowing eyes looked over, Kochou Shinobu felt a chill run through her body, as if she was being stared at by some terrifying monster.
The next moment, all the muscles in her body tensed.
It's coming!!!
She had a premonition; she had felt this way when fighting Mizuki.
Tanjirou also noticed Kokushibou's hidden movements through his Transparent World vision and quickly warned, "Kochou Shinobu! Be careful!"
The instant his words fell, Kokushibou's figure was no longer in sight, only a cloud of dust rising.
"So fast!"
The crowd, who had just slightly relaxed due to the strange atmosphere, immediately tensed up.
The next second, the tall figure appeared in front of Kochou Shinobu and, without a word, slashed towards her.
Kokushibou's gaze was cold as he stared at the short woman.
Kochou Shinobu's feet felt as if they were filled with cement, her entire body stiff and unable to move.
Kokushibou's aura was too powerful; under its lock, even Kochou Shinobu, who had considerable resistance to Mizuki's aura, couldn't help but fall into a brief state of rigidity.
Move! Her body!!!
Perhaps her body instinctively sensed danger, as a butterfly pattern Demon Slayer Mark appeared on Kochou Shinobu's cheek.
Seeing the butterfly Demon Slayer Mark appear on Kochou Shinobu's cheek, Kokushibou's eyes narrowed slightly.
This woman... indeed also activated a Demon Slayer Mark.
However... the increase from a Demon Slayer Mark is based on one's own foundation; the stronger the person, the greater the increase from the Demon Slayer Mark.
As an enhancement to physical abilities, this woman's small stature is almost completely incompatible; neither strength nor other aspects can be effectively improved.
It could be said that in terms of swordsman talent, this woman was abandoned by the heavens.
That such a weak creature could become a Pillar is indeed commendable, but Kokushibou could not pretend not to have heard her earlier words.
Even if this woman was someone Mizuki liked.
Seeing the blade about to strike, everyone panicked and rushed forward to intervene.
"Shinobu!"
Kanae exclaimed, raising her Nichirin Blade, a snowy gleam flashing.
"Snow Breathing..."
No! It's too late to stop it!
Fear intensified in Kanae's eyes, as if she was about to witness something terrible.
What about the others?!
In her panic, Kanae's movements didn't stop, and her eyes shifted to the people beside her.
Tanjirou and the others were all leaning forward, their faces tense as they looked at the center of the battlefield.
Too far!
She was the closest to Shinobu, but she couldn't make a move in time!
Too careless!
She didn't expect the opponent to suddenly attack!
In her regret, Kanae only saw Kokushibou's rapidly descending demon blade.
At that very instant, Kokushibou's eyes narrowed, and the woman in front of him vanished.
"Hmm?"
The next moment, a faint stinging pain came from his side waist.
Piercing Kokushibou's body with one strike, Kochou Shinobu didn't dare to linger, pulling out her Nichirin Blade and retreating at extreme speed.
Kokushibou's eyes glanced at his waist, a crimson streak oozing from it.
He was stabbed.
This woman... her strength is weak, but she possesses a unique talent for speed.
Among the humans he had fought, this woman's speed could rank among the top.
At the not-so-serious wound, the flesh gradually turned purplish-black.
There was poison on the blade, injected when it struck him.
Before Kokushibou could analyze, Kanae and the others, while relieved, had already launched their attacks.
"Snow Breathing, Sixth Form: Snow Drifts Ten Thousand Miles!"
"Sun Breathing, First Form: Circle Haze!"
"Mist Breathing, Fourth Form: Shifting Flow Slash!"
"Flower Breathing, Fifth Form: Peonies of Futility!"
"Beast Breathing, Second Fang: Slice!"
Several Pillar-level combatants working together, and when the opponent was unprepared, might be able to inflict effective damage on him.
Tanjirou's eyes showed a hint of excitement.
However.
"Moon Breathing, Fourteenth Form: Catastrophe - Heavenly Full Crescent Moon!" Kokushibou suddenly raised his blade, and huge crescent moons intertwined, forming a swirling vortex that violently spread outwards.
What?!
Tanjirou's pupils shrunk to pinpricks, the hairs on his back stood on end, and a chill shot straight to his brain.
Can't block it!
This thought flashed through Tanjirou's mind, and his body instinctively reacted before his thoughts could fully form; he forcibly changed his technique, parrying with his Nichirin Blade in front of him.
A violent impact struck, like a train colliding head-on; amidst the collision, his Nichirin Blade seemed to let out mournful cries, as if it couldn't withstand it and was about to crack.
After a brief stalemate, Tanjirou's figure was sent flying, his eyes rolled back, his consciousness already tending towards dissipation.
"Everyone!"
Kochou Shinobu's expression changed drastically from a distance; she had no time to stop it and could only watch as everyone was swept into the attack.
Thanks to Tanjirou's Cultivation during this period, he, who entered the fray later, actually took the lead, and with his keen combat intuition, he blocked most of the slashes in front of him.
Thanks to him, although the others were also sent flying by the exaggerated slashes, with streaks of blood appearing on their bodies, they ultimately maintained consciousness.
Kanae knelt on the ground, a long gash torn across her delicate cheek, blood continuously gushing out, and her butterfly haori was tattered, her clothes stained red.
The injuries of the others were largely similar; except for Kochou Shinobu, who escaped, everyone else was severely wounded.
Kochou Shinobu looked in horror at the figure standing like a War God in the center of the battlefield.
Too exaggerated!
It was even more exaggerated than Mizuki's slashes!
That range! Could a human really withstand it?
It was no exaggeration to say that it was Mizuki taking things seriously.
In an instant, they were almost completely wiped out.
Kokushibou moved lightly, stepping forward.
Kochou Shinobu's back bristled, and she unhesitatingly stood in front of everyone.
"You will die," Kokushibou said calmly, his paused footsteps resuming forward.
Was there too little poison?
Kochou Shinobu watched as the flesh on his waist had already healed as before.
Kochou Shinobu was not surprised; the amount of poison a blade could carry was very limited, and facing a demon second only to Muzan, its ineffectiveness was inevitable.
Kokushibou walked calmly, as if stepping on Kochou Shinobu's heart, making it pound.
Kochou Shinobu felt an unprecedented crisis; the expression on her face remained unchanged, even taking on a slight smile.
"You wanted to do this just now..." Her words were cut short as a shadow covered her from behind.
"Pathetic, weak creature."
Accompanied by what seemed like a summary of her life, Kokushibou's blade fell.
The speed increased again!
Kochou Shinobu broke out in a cold sweat, desperately turning, but could only see the descending blade.
Can't dodge it!
In her final moments, Kochou Shinobu's heart calmed, a trace of loneliness flashing in her eyes.
I can't stay with Mizuki anymore.
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"