"Damn it!"
"You two bastards! I'll kill you both!"
In an open field in the wilderness, two figures were locked in furious combat.
One of them roared in absolute rage.
The other swung a blood‑red blade repeatedly, weaving a storm of light and shadow like a spiderweb, overwhelming in its power.
It was Akaza versus Gyutaro!
They had been ordered by Muzan to track down Oboro.
But Oboro was elusive and unpredictable. The best way to get results quickly was to capture Gyutaro first.
This inheritor seemed to be very important to Oboro.
Gyutaro had spent years hunting members of the Twelve Kizuki. Even Gyokko, a former Upper Rank, had died at his hands.
He was obsessed with hunting Upper Ranks, so there was no need for the three of them to search far and wide — as soon as they showed themselves, Gyutaro would come straight to them.
However, Akaza had never imagined he would end up in this situation!
He was fighting Gyutaro and Daki both, all on his own.
His earlier shouts had not been directed at the siblings, but at Kokushibo and Doma, who were hiding nearby and watching without lifting a finger.
Akaza knew they were close by.
This was completely different from what they had agreed beforehand.
Although Akaza hated anyone interfering in his battles — he considered help an insult — and had absolute confidence in his own strength… this was a direct order from Muzan.
Fighting Gyutaro one‑on‑one would have been fine, but Daki was also there. Her attacks were not severe enough to hurt him seriously, yet they distracted him constantly and were extremely annoying.
Moreover, Gyutaro was far more than Akaza had expected.
Akaza threw punches at supersonic speed, shattering the streaks of red light flying toward him.
"Heh heh heh…"
Gyutaro leaped high into the air, laughing maniacally. His arm swung the scythe so fast it blurred. He was using his Blood Demon Art — Flying Blood Scythe — to launch attacks from a distance.
He could fling his own blood into the air and turn it into blades of light to slash at his enemies.
There was no need for him to fight Akaza up close.
Because Akaza's Blood Demon Art and fighting style made him nearly unbeatable in close combat. One mistake and Gyutaro could well end up killed.
Therefore, his tactic of keeping his distance and striking from afar was proving extremely effective against Akaza.
Akaza suppressed his rage for the moment, deciding to ignore Kokushibo and Doma's strange behaviour. He crossed his arms to form a shield, blocking a deadly flying scythe.
Around him flowed an aura so dense it seemed solid — his Fighting Spirit.
The red blades exploded against him, but left no mark. Most of their killing power was neutralised by the pressure of his aura.
His Blood Demon Art was essentially a set of techniques derived entirely from this fighting spirit.
It lacked variety or trickery, focusing purely on combat at the pinnacle of martial arts.
Even after Muzan had pumped new blood into his body, strengthened his spirit, and enhanced his art… unlike Doma, who had awakened completely new abilities, Akaza had only gained more condensed and solid fighting energy. No new moves.
Swish!
Akaza spotted an opening.
He dropped his guard, and the ground beneath his feet exploded.
Bursting with immense power, he charged straight toward Gyutaro, who was about to land. But halfway there, several ribbon‑like sashes, flexible as whips, lashed out and cut off his path.
Akaza was forced to jump back and retreat.
The sashes slammed into the earth with a thunderous boom and massive force.
Daki stood beside Gyutaro, her expression cold and full of disdain, staring at Akaza.
"Give up those foolish thoughts and ridiculous moves. Being obediently killed by us is your only destiny," she mocked.
The words made veins bulge on Akaza's forehead.
This weakling dared to mock him?
Really now!
He had seen from the start that compared to Gyutaro, this woman was pitifully weak… but thanks to Gyutaro protecting her, every attempt he made to finish her off first had failed.
Gyutaro's Blood Demon Art was perfectly suited to counter Akaza's fighting style.
On top of that, he could unleash it continuously at high frequency.
Those long‑range slashes required blood to fuel them, and enough blood to keep them powerful… not just anyone could sustain that; normally it was a technique that would exhaust the user. Yet after fighting for so long, Gyutaro showed no sign of strain at all.
"His movement and footwork are highly refined…"
Akaza breathed deeply, finally seeing the trick behind it.
Several times he had managed to get close enough to knock him down.
But even against Akaza's Blood Demon Art — Destructive Death: Compass Needle — Gyutaro had managed to evade and keep him at bay.
It all came down to his agility and footwork.
Gyutaro's fighting style was full of skill and technique, yet it was not any form of martial art Akaza recognised. It was more like a wild instinct, born from nature itself.
"That look in your eye… that face… do you really think you can defeat us?"
"As long as we are together, we are invincible."
"The way you look… it disgusts me… what makes you so confident?"
"Where does that sense of superiority come from?"
"I want to destroy you more and more… not just devour you… people like you are just too annoying to look at."
Gyutaro groaned, pressing one hand against his cheek, digging his nails into his skin, his manner twisted and deranged.
With that, he used the same tactic again.
Laughing wildly, he swung his scythe. In just a few seconds, countless blades of blood sprayed out, forming a tearing storm that swept straight toward Akaza.
"Destructive Death: Air Type!"
Akaza's eyes sharpened as his aura vibrated violently around him.
Then, throwing a flurry of punches that filled the air…
He shattered every incoming slash.
---
While they fought fiercely, on the far side of the battlefield…
Kokushibo and Doma stood close together, dressed like samurai, hidden in the shadows.
Both watched the battle in the distance, sensing the intensity of the clash.
Kokushibo remained silent.
Doma, however, beamed cheerfully, speaking in a light tone. "Akaza… seems to be having a really hard time."
"No wonder he managed to kill Gyokko. This Gyutaro is certainly no ordinary foe… his strength matches exactly what you and I know about Oboro."
Doma glanced sideways at Kokushibo, his words heavy with hidden meaning.
"You must be thinking the same thing I am, aren't you?"
Seeing Kokushibo ignore him, Doma continued talking, completely unfazed by the silence.
"Tell me… if Lord Muzan and Oboro were to meet… who do you think would win?"
Doma leaned half his body forward, getting close to Kokushibo as he asked.
The truth was, both of them had long since remembered what happened back then — the lessons they had received and the beating they had suffered at Oboro's hands.
Yet they had never told Muzan the full details.
Only giving him a vague summary.
So regardless of what Kokushibo thought, Doma was certain of one thing: Lord Muzan did not truly understand who Oboro really was.
That man… heh heh.
____________________
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