Ordinary?
When Muzan Kibutsuji read this sentence from Akaza's consciousness, he felt so furious that he almost laughed.
That was Yoriichi Tsugikuni!
When he was young, Yoriichi could seriously wound Muzan with a single strike.
Even if Muzan split into more than 1,800 pieces to escape, Yoriichi could cut apart over 1,500 fragments in an instant.
Even when old, frail, and close to death, he almost decapitated Kokushibō with one blow!
A man like this… and you dare call him "ordinary"?!
At this point, Muzan couldn't even be bothered to explain anything to Akaza.
With a thought, he shattered Akaza's consciousness.
Immediately afterward, Muzan seized control of Akaza's body. His hand reached up—
Snap!
A crisp sound echoed.
In the eyes of Rengoku Kyōjurō and Hayashi Yuichi, Akaza had actually torn his own head off!
Hayashi was dumbfounded.
Not a buddy move?!
You saw me about to cut your head, so you ripped it off first?
This… seemed strangely reasonable.
Unable to react in time, Hayashi could only watch as his blade swept cleanly across Akaza's bare neck stump.
But in the next instant, Akaza flung the severed head into the air with one hand, retreated at shocking speed, and caught it with the other—
Then he slammed it back onto his body with a resounding "pop."
Hayashi was stunned.
Ever since he came to this world, he had thought himself well-traveled, knowledgeable, unshaken by anything. What sights hadn't he seen?
But this—Akaza turning into some sort of "self-decapitation king"—was new even to him!
To avoid being beheaded, a demon willingly separated his own neck.
He had seen this move before in the original work: Lower Rank Five Rui did the same thing on Mount Natagumo against Tanjiro.
But the one before him now was Upper Rank Three, Akaza.
For a demon known for direct, unflinching battle, this cheap, survival-first trick felt utterly out of character.
Hayashi's mind clicked.
This kind of cowardly style—clinging to life at all costs—matched only one person's way of thinking.
Which meant… was Muzan himself directly piloting this "account"?
On the other side, Rengoku Kyōjurō had already unleashed his attack:
[Flame Breathing · Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!]
Kyōjurō charged, his Nichirin blade blazing with surging fire.
The flames coiled and twisted, manifesting into a giant tiger made of pure flame, roaring as it lunged at Akaza.
Akaza's fractured consciousness stirred.
Such power… such overwhelming momentum!
As expected of the swordsman I admire!
But just as his admiration took form, a crushing pressure bore down within his blood again.
"Ugh—!"
It felt like countless hammers smashing into his consciousness.
Even so, with desperate effort, Akaza clung to awareness.
Through the pain, he begged:
"Lord Muzan… why?!"
The Demon Slayers were right in front of him. Why flee instead of fighting?
Especially when the very swordsman he revered had unleashed such a magnificent attack—
Why must he run instead of taking it head-on?
Akaza hastily gathered his consciousness, forcing his body to move again.
The skills honed through countless battles should have flowed naturally, like breathing itself:
[Technique Development]
[Destructive Death · Compass Needle——]
Yet, before the snowflake-like patterns could unfold, Muzan Kibutsuji's will seized his body.
His voice rang cold and merciless within Akaza's mind:
"You dare question my decision?"
"Do you still want to unleash that technique?"
"Put it away."
Each word from Muzan was like a thunderous hammer striking Akaza's consciousness. The storm of domination made it clear—any further resistance would mean complete annihilation of his will.
Trembling, Akaza could only whisper within his mind:
"My lord, I dare not…"
With a sharp snort, Muzan once more tore his consciousness apart.
Then, controlling Akaza's body, he launched directly at Rengoku Kyojuro—
Yes, directly crashing into him!
Rengoku's golden eyes widened. His sword was aimed straight for Akaza's neck, yet the demon suddenly vaulted upward, twisting mid-air to let his waist collide with the Nichirin blade!
Swish!
The flame sword cleaved him cleanly in half!
But instead of agony, Akaza's face bore a strange, triumphant smile.
From Muzan's perspective, being bisected was a trivial wound—nothing fatal. Unless struck by Yoriichi Tsugikuni's Nichirin blade, whose Sun Breathing left wounds demons could never heal, such damage was fleeting.
For an Upper Moon, even sacrificing an entire lower body meant nothing. Regeneration was instantaneous.
More importantly—by casting away half his body, Akaza had shed half his weight.
At that instant, Muzan manipulated the body to press both palms hard against Rengoku's sword, using the Flame Hashira's own strike to hurl himself backward with terrifying speed!
Before he even landed, Akaza's lower half had already regenerated, seamlessly resuming his escape.
Hayashi, watching, was stunned.
He hadn't expected Muzan's control to twist Akaza's body into executing a string of unpredictable, almost ingenious maneuvers.
And as Akaza fled into the distance, he glanced back.
In his eyes, Hayashi glimpsed not merely Akaza—but Muzan himself.
The message was chillingly clear:
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi… even you could never have foreseen this."
"This is my path of escape!"
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