SLASH!
The sharp Nichirin dagger cleaved through effortlessly.
Karaku's severed head still wore its mischievous smile.
However, in an instant, fresh flesh began squirming and spreading across both the severed head and neck.
WHOOSH!
A pair of broad wings suddenly unfurled as terrifying bird claws replaced its lower legs.
A brand new winged demon emerged from Karaku's head, its formerly playful expression now radiating even greater joy.
Meanwhile, Karaku's head regenerated completely.
"Ehaha~ What a fast blade," said Karaku.
"Splendid~ Finally able to stretch my wings! The feeling of free flight is wonderful, so happy~"
The winged demon flapped its wings cheerfully.
Through its open mouth, the character "Joy" could be seen on its tongue - Urogi, another clone of Upper Moon Four!
Shinichi witnessed everything.
This thing could split again?
ZZZT!
Violent electricity crackled around Shinichi's body.
While these terrifying lightning bolts could easily kill ordinary humans or even some Demon Slayers, they merely caused discomfort and temporary paralysis to Shinichi - far from being able to truly harm him.
"You two idiots! Stop fooling around and help me!" Sekido roared at Urogi and Karaku nearby, its staff continuously discharging lightning.
But at this moment, Shinichi had also readied himself for battle once more.
The crimson glow in his right eye deepened and brightened, while the blood in his veins seemed to sound a charge, rapidly boiling with fervor.
The scorching surge of blood instantly dispelled the numbness Sekido's lightning had inflicted upon him.
Swish!
The tips of his red-and-green Nichirin Blades spun, radiating light.
Just as Sekido finished reprimanding Urogi and Karaku and turned his head, he saw Shinichi—bathed in lightning and holding the Nichirin Dual Blades horizontally.
The blades were enveloped in a green glow, interlaced with faint crimson streaks.
"Dammit! he can actually negate lightning strikes?!" Sekido was both shocked and furious.
Though it wanted to dodge, its speed was naturally slow among the clones, and being accustomed to playing the control role in team battles, Sekido found itself momentarily unable to mount any effective defense against Shinichi's slash.
It could only futilely raise its staff in a vain attempt to block the strike.
But to Shinichi, this was nothing more than an ant trying to stop a car.
Whoosh! Bang! Slash!
With his right foot stomping hard on the ground and his left foot lunging forward, Shinichi's body instantly lowered, his Nichirin Blade moving as naturally as his own arm, following his motion as the blade descended.
"Forest Breathing, Fifth Form: Soaring Bamboo Slash!"
"ARGHHH!! I can't block it! Damn it! So frustrating!" Sekido screamed hysterically, but its cries couldn't stop its upper body—along with the staff—from being cleanly severed by Shinichi.
The foul-smelling blood splattered briefly before mysteriously stopping.
"As I thought, this guy can still split further!" Shinichi gripped his Nichirin Blade, a glimmer of understanding flashing in his eyes.
From his peripheral vision, he had been observing the movements of the other two clone demons, Urogi and Karaku, nearby.
Seeing them grinning without lifting a finger to help Sekido and showing no signs of panic, Shinichi had already guessed that Sekido could likely split again.
Sure enough, the writhing flesh from the two halves of Sekido's severed body made the outcome obvious.
Soon, a demon clad in deep blue clothing, wielding a cross-shaped spear and wearing a melancholic expression, appeared on the battlefield.
"What a sorrowful battle. Pitiful Demon Slayer, if possible, allow me to quietly end your life. I shall recite an elegy for you," said Aizetsu, the fourth clone of Upper Moon Four.
Now surrounded by four demons, Shinichi swept his gaze around and murmured softly.
"Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure—quite the complete set, huh? I wonder if you can split even smaller if I keep cutting you."
Shinichi admitted that the sudden appearance and splitting ability of Upper Moon Four had caught him off guard initially, especially since each of these clones seemed to possess unique Blood Demon Arts.
Sekido's lightning strikes were one thing, but the folding fan in Karaku's hand was likely no simple weapon either.
Still, that was all there was to it.
Though troublesome, Shinichi felt no fear—in fact, his fighting spirit burned brighter than ever!
Swish!
Raising his Nichirin Blade with one hand, he pointed the tip directly at Sekido, the leader of the four demons, and smirked.
"Come on, are there any more clones? Bring them all out at once. If it's just you four, it won't be nearly enough fun."
"You bastard!! I'll kill you!" Sekido couldn't tolerate the provocation, veins bulging densely on its forehead.
Aizetsu twirled its cross-shaped spear with a sorrowful sigh.
"How regrettable."
Meanwhile, Urogi and Karaku grinned wider than ever, their laughter brimming with delight.
*****
Leaving aside the explosive battle between Shinichi and Upper Moon Four, the fights elsewhere for the Demon Slayer Corps were equally intense.
"Serpent Breathing, Fifth Form: Slithering Serpent!"
A white figure darted forward, its Nichirin Blade moving too fast to see.
The pale blade light coiled like a serpent, and in the blink of an eye, every demon in an entire train car was annihilated.
Yet, Obanai's eyes remained utterly indifferent.
"What?! How can he be this strong?! Impossible!"
The train—no, rather, the Lower Rank One, Enmu—had transformed the entire train into its own body.
The missing train was its doing.
Yet, this formidable Lower Rank One would never have imagined that today, it would encounter such an overwhelmingly powerful swordsman.
Not only was he immune to its Blood Demon Art: Compulsory Slumber Hypnosis, but he had also effortlessly slaughtered all the demons aboard the train before they could escape.
This was simply monstrous!
Enmu was desperate, but outside the train, the battlefield was equally intense.
Dozens of Demon Slayers clashed with countless demons, their varied Breathing Techniques flashing brilliantly in the dead of night.
Mukago was panicking.
Honestly, if she were still human, she would have wet herself by now.
That red-haired man who looked like an owl was terrifying!
The blazing flames on his Nichirin Blade sliced through her vines without any effort at all!
At this rate, she was going to die—she was absolutely going to die!
"Kamarooooo! Help me!!" Mukago screamed, utterly disregarding her dignity as a Lower Rank.
But Kamaro, the Lower Rank Six who had already hidden among the ordinary demons, had even less dignity.
'Seriously, that Hashira's blade was horrifying—only an idiot would step in to help.'
'Better to find a chance to flee.'
'The Demon Slayer Corps was just too terrifyingly strong!' Kamaro thought to itself.
However, just as Mukago was about to explode, Enmu was on the verge of destruction and Kamaro was preparing to escape, a figure silently charged into the battlefield—with a clear purpose!
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!" Tomioka Giyu, who had been cutting down demons, was suddenly enveloped by an intense sense of danger.
Without hesitation, he unleashed the Third Form, a technique that balanced offense and defense.
The next moment—BOOM!!
The terrifying force colliding with his Nichirin Blade sent Tomioka Giyu flying back dozens of steps.
BOOM!!
Amid the swirling dust, a voice all too familiar to Tomioka Giyuu rang out.
"Hahaha! We meet again, Tomioka Giyuu!!"
PS : Who's going to die here ?
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