Swish! Swish! Swish!
At three different train stations, the sound of steel cutting through flesh echoed almost at the same time. Sakonji Urokodaki, Giyu Tomioka, and Obanai Iguro swung their own Nichirin Swords. Their movements were incredibly fast, severing the major arteries in their necks in an instant. Blood sprayed into the air.
An indescribable pain and rage filled their minds in their last moments of clarity. The memories of their entire lives flashed before their eyes like a spinning lantern, each moment vivid and clear.
Whose life is free of regret?
Even Sakonji Urokodaki, the former Water Hashira and a master swordsman who had dedicated his life to slaying demons, had many regrets. But he never imagined that the person to end his life would be himself.
In truth, it wasn't his own choice. It was another one of Muzan Kibutsuji's terrifying and cruel schemes. From the moment Muzan announced his so-called "Mugen Train" plan, they had walked right into his trap. The difference in their strength was too great; they couldn't fight back with willpower alone. More importantly, they couldn't even control their own bodies, let alone change their fate.
"So... this is what death feels like," Sakonji thought. After sending countless demons to their doom, his own end felt strangely light and distant. The pain from the gushing wound in his neck had already faded into numbness. In the final seconds of his life, his only hope was that his last student, Tanjiro Kamado, would be the one to finally end this nightmare. He regretted that he wouldn't live to see Muzan Kibutsuji's final defeat. His time was up.
Thud.
The former Water Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Giyu Tomioka's master and Tanjiro Kamado's teacher, Sakonji Urokodaki, was dead.
Thud! Thud!
At the other two train stations, the bodies of Giyu Tomioka and Obanai Iguro collapsed heavily onto the ground at almost the same moment.
This horrifying scene shocked the Japanese government officials who had surrounded the stations. For the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps who had just arrived, it was a heart-wrenching sight.
"Damn it! Damn it all!"
It was completely infuriating. They never thought that Sakonji and the others would die not in a battle against a powerful demon, but as pawns in one of Muzan's twisted games. This time, Muzan's methods were truly evil, designed not just to kill his enemies but to break their spirits.
For hundreds of years, the Demon Slayer Corps had built a reputation in Japan as heroic swordsmen who protected people from demons. With the secret support of the powerful Ubuyashiki family, the Corps had been seen as a force for good.
However, today's events at the three train stations, along with the massacres that had occurred, completely shattered that positive image. Not only was the Demon Slayer Corps' reputation ruined, but the Ubuyashiki family itself was now seen as an enemy by both the Japanese government and the public.
"They're finally dead!" someone in the crowd shouted.
"But what in the world is going on?" another person asked, confused.
"I can't believe it. Those murderers were supposed to be Demon Slayers! They're nothing but monsters in human skin!"
The scorn and ridicule from the surrounding crowd felt like salt being poured on the Hashira's wounds. They couldn't believe they were being humiliated like this, right after witnessing their comrades' deaths.
"No... something's not right!" one of the Hashira suddenly said.
"What's happening? That killer... he doesn't look dead..."
Just as the remaining Hashira were trying to process everything, something impossible happened. Before everyone's eyes, the bodies of Sakonji, Giyu, and Obanai—who had clearly just taken their own lives—began to stir.
A dark and terrifying power, which had been hidden inside them, erupted with a sickening energy.
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Following the surge of demonic power, the trains they were on let out terrifying, inhuman roars.
"Oh my god, what is happening!?" a passenger screamed from another car.
"No, no! I don't want to die! My mother is eighty years old, she needs me!" another cried out in despair.
"This can't be real! I must be dreaming!"
The passengers who hadn't managed to escape the trains began to scream in absolute terror.
"Damn it all!" one of the Hashira cursed. "Muzan must have planted his demon power inside of them. He's controlling their corpses!"
"That's not all," another added, his voice grim. "He's merged their bodies with the trains themselves. If we cut the main body, the entire train will probably explode, and all the passengers will die with it!"
The scene before them made the remaining Hashira feel a deep sense of exhaustion. They had just been hit with the pain of losing their comrades, and now, the enemy's next trap was already in motion. What was even harder to accept was that Muzan was using their friends' bodies to create a new, twisted killing game.
"No! We have to save the passengers on those trains!"
"But what about the government officers? They're still here, and they'll probably try to kill us on sight!"
"Our three comrades committed a terrible act, even if they weren't in control. They've already paid for it with their lives."
"But we can't just stand here and watch Muzan use their bodies to do more evil!"
In that moment, the six remaining Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps made their decision. Without another word, they shot forward toward the chaos.
...
Meanwhile, at the Drum House, Tanjiro and his friends were resting. After a fierce battle, they had successfully defeated the demon Kyogai, a former member of the Twelve Kizuki.
"I never thought demons could be so terrifying," Tanjiro said, letting out a long sigh. "Thankfully, we made a new friend this time." His gaze shifted to the muscular boy next to him, who wore a wild boar mask.
Suddenly, an intense wave of heartache washed over Tanjiro, so powerful it almost knocked the wind out of him. It felt as if something incredibly important had been ripped away from his life. He couldn't understand what it was, but the piercing pain was as sharp as the agony he felt when his family was slaughtered by a demon.
Tears began to stream down Tanjiro's face, startling the others. They had no idea why their friend, who had been fine just a moment ago, was suddenly overwhelmed with such profound grief.
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