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"Uooohhh!"
The multiverse boiled over with excitement.
"That was beautiful! That strike was just perfect!"
"Clean and sharp—three kills with one swing! The charcoal boy keeps getting stronger!"
"What was that move? It looked like a dragon made of fire—so damn cool!"
"Man, watching Tanjiro grow like this… it's so moving, I can't help but feel proud!"
"One slash, three necks severed. At this point, Tanjiro's already a Hashira!"
"He's been a Hashira for a while—the Tenth Hashira: the First Head!"
In the face of despair, he unleashed everything—one strike, three demons destroyed.
The sheer heat of that moment shook every heart watching. Across worlds and realms, people rose to their feet, clapping and cheering for Tanjiro's brilliance.
"Heroes are so cool!" In the Assassins' World, Wu Liuqi, Chicken Dabao, and Chicken Xiaofei all clapped in unison.
"A truly superb sword!" In the Rurouni World, Himura Kenshin couldn't stop himself from standing and applauding.
"Tanjiro, well done!" In the Gintama World, Kondo the gorilla led the entire Shinsengumi to their feet.
"Let's push forward like Tanjiro—together we'll conquer Aincrad!" In the Sword Art Online World, the clearing groups, led by the Knights of the Blood, were fired up to the brim.
…
Demon Slayer World – Infinity Castle.
Crash!
Every piece of equipment in front of the Demon King Muzan exploded into shards.
"Not just Sun Breathing and the Mark… now even the crimson blade has awakened? That brat's growth… it's far from normal!"
Bulging veins pulsed along Muzan's temples as he stared at Tanjiro through the glowing screen. For an instant, he saw another man—someone who had once driven him to the edge of despair.
The shadow of Yoriichi Tsugikuni!
"For centuries we purged every trace of the Sun Breathing users. Yet somehow, one slipped through? And that boy bears not only the Mark but the crimson blade as well… all in the same body. This cannot be coincidence. Brother… is this your doing?"
Beside him, Kokushibo—Upper Rank One, once Tsugikuni Michikatsu—tightened his grip on his blade.
…
Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.
"Yaaah! Long live Tanjiro!" Inosuke and Zenitsu tossed Tanjiro into the air, celebrating with wild cheers.
"That red blade… how did he do that?"
"And his scar… I swear I saw something appear on his forehead!" Giyu Tomioka and Shinobu Kocho spoke up almost at the same time.
"The crimson blade is called a Nichirin awakening. And that mark on his forehead—it's the Mark. After hundreds of years, a marked swordsman has finally appeared again!" Oyakata-sama, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, spoke with a voice that mixed joy and deep worry.
"Lord Oyakata, what exactly are the crimson blade and the Mark?" Sound Hashira Uzui Tengen pressed quickly.
But before he could get an answer—
"You two brats are so damn noisy!" Uzui finally lost his patience with the noisy pair.
"And besides, is this really the time to celebrate? Tanjiro only got three of them—one's still alive!"
"Ah, the last one? Genya already took care of it."
Tanjiro pointed at the glowing screen.
Uzui: "…"
…
One Piece World.
"Oi oi oi, what's with that Shinazugawa kid? He looks like a demon himself!" Zoro's eyes were wide.
"It's not just looks—he's been riddled with fatal wounds, but he's still alive. Hell, his wounds are already healing!" Franky's jaw dropped.
"So he has a demon's body too? A half-demon, maybe?" Robin guessed thoughtfully.
…
A Certain Magical World.
"Forget that half-demon—what matters is the demon still isn't dead!" Kamijou Touma shouted.
"But they already cut off all four heads! Why isn't it dying? Is it because the heads weren't cut at the same time?" Misaka Mikoto's eyes widened, sparks practically crackling in her confusion.
…
Attack on Titan World.
"The Upper Ranks don't all die the same way. Upper Six were twins, Upper Four split into multiple bodies… if that's the case, maybe there aren't just four." Armin analyzed calmly.
"Armin, what are you saying?" Eren and Mikasa exchanged uneasy looks.
…
Naruto World.
"They may have split from one body, but once they appear, each is its own entity. Cutting down copies won't work. The real body is just one." Jiraiya frowned, piecing it together.
He didn't realize it yet—but this reasoning would prove crucial in his coming mission to the Hidden Rain Village. It might even change his own fate.
…
Back to the glowing screen.
Realizing the demons weren't truly dead, Tanjiro didn't panic. His mind spun rapidly, searching. Finally, he found the answer.
The source of the problem—the hidden fifth demon.
Before he could move, a hand clamped around his throat.
"Don't get cocky. I'm the one who beat an Upper Moon. You didn't kill Upper Six—I did. That's why you're not a Hashira. The one who'll become a Hashira first… is me!"
Half-demon Genya Shinazugawa sneered, practically popping champagne mid-battle.
His words, his arrogance, and now this stunt—his reputation, already poor, nosedived straight into the abyss. Across the multiverse, countless viewers cursed him out.
But then…
Tanjiro's response silenced every insult in an instant.
"I see… Got it. Nezuko and I will support you with everything we've got. The three of us—we'll do this together!"
Bright, sincere, full of warmth—Angel Tanjiro's voice radiated like sunlight. Even with fingers squeezing his throat, he showed no anger, no complaint.
"Waaah! Tanjiro really is an angel!"
"He's healing my heart again!"
"What a good kid!"
"Compared to him, that half-demon brat is just annoying!"
"Popping champagne mid-battle is bad enough, but choking an ally? Please."
"If more kids were like Tanjiro, the world would be a better place."
Across worlds, countless people felt soothed by his words.
Gabriel muttered, "At this point, Tanjiro's more angel than me…"
Of course—
Not everyone liked this kind of kindness. To villains who couldn't stand goody-two-shoes, Tanjiro's words made them gag.
…
"There's still a fifth demon. Buy me some time—I'll track it down!" Tanjiro urged on the glowing screen.
Even Genya, in his half-demon rage, froze for a moment. He'd come to steal the spotlight, even laid hands on Tanjiro…
But that feeling—what was it? His rage was… calming?
And then—
The four demons of Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure revived.
The brutal tug-of-war resumed once more.
Fighting under their relentless assault, Tanjiro focused everything on his sense of smell. He pushed himself, desperate, until—
At the very moment the Pleasure Demon blew away the sulfuric air in a storm, Tanjiro finally caught it.
The scent of the fifth demon.
"..."
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