Very important::
For the next two months, I will only publish one chapter every three, four, or perhaps seven days because I have already entered the final exam period and I may not even have time to publish chapters. Therefore, I will prepare 40 chapters for television publication.
I'm sorry to share this news, but for those who don't know, I'm studying to be a doctor, and although I'm still in my first year, the pressure is extremely high right now. Goodbye.
And I will also give you a gift: once I finish the tests, I will publish a large number of chapters.
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Fighting an Upper Rank is like walking a tightrope; any slight slip-up results in either injury or death.
The pressure was at its absolute peak.
Not a single trace of emotion could be seen on Kiyokawa Izumi's face as he did his best to adjust his state. Unable to use the Fourth Form for the time being, his current situation was quite dire.
Horizontal slashes, combos, or explosive dashes were all insufficient to deal with the school of fish that blotted out the sky.
'Dark Breathing, Total Concentration!'
'Fifth Form: Dustless!'
Facing the school of fish attacking from multiple directions, Kiyokawa Izumi did not retreat or attempt to dodge the move.
Instead, he stood calmly on the spot.
These eyes could see clearly—the size of every Slime-Fish and their swimming trajectories.
He only needed to swing his blade and strike them down.
Don't let the name intimidate you.
So what if there are ten thousand Slime-Fish? Are they all surrounding him at the exact same time?
The space around Kiyokawa Izumi was only so large; how could it possibly accommodate that many Slime-Fish?
If Gyokko could truly achieve such a feat, there would be no point in Kiyokawa Izumi struggling—no matter how hard he tried, how could he kill all the Slime-Fish in an instant? How many slashes would that require in a single moment?
Ultimately, there was still a sequence.
The number he needed to deal with in the first wave was nowhere near ten thousand.
He just had to keep swinging his blade!
Tokito Muichiro had demonstrated how to block this move.
The hot-tempered Wind Hashira had also shown him how to utilize the power of the wind during their training sessions.
Within the reach of his nichirin blade, and with the help of these eyes, he might not be unable to block an attack of this level.
Three inches before him, Ink-stained and Traceless!
This was the Fifth Form: Dustless.
The school of fish lunging like ocean waves seemed to hit an invisible barrier.
The sharp nichirin blade had blurred into afterimages. As the blade swung, it stirred the surrounding air. Deadly bodily fluids and the severed fragments of Slime-Fish fell away with the swirling airflow, never coming within half an inch of Kiyokawa Izumi.
That figure, not particularly slight, stood upright without retreating a single step.
Faster swings, more precise swings.
Amidst the sudden flashes of cold light, a single strike brought down dozens of Slime-Fish.
'How is this possible? It's like he knows my ability... Not only is he shredding my fish, but he's even intentionally using the airflow he creates to scatter the spraying liquid.'
'Strange, something is very wrong!'
Gyokko found it inconceivable, as if his abilities were being specifically countered.
This Hashira's strength was far inferior to his own, yet he had managed to tangle with him until now; it was truly unimaginable.
What a joke!
It's just that the great Lord Gyokko hasn't gotten serious yet and hasn't used his full power!
"You should feel honored. In all these years, you are only the third human to have the privilege of seeing me use this move."
Gyokko had lost the patience to continue the fight with Kiyokawa Izumi—if he kept using Blood Demon Arts to wear down the human before him, he would surely win in the end.
But doing so was too boring.
Was this weak Hashira still fantasizing about being able to defeat him?
It was time to reveal his true form after so long.
Gyokko's lower body completely broke free from its dependence on the ceramic container, transforming into a massive serpentine tail several zhang long.
His thick torso was covered in layers of scales. They weren't the soft scales of ordinary snakes; they glinted with a metallic luster under the moonlight and looked incredibly hard.
His upper body still maintained that utterly twisted, inverted beauty—mouths where eyes should be. Perhaps this was what he considered art.
"Seeing my perfect form, are you so shocked that you're speechless? These translucent scales have a hardness comparable to diamond; the nichirin blade in your hand will never be able to cut through them.
And look at this flawless tail—this is the ultimate art. Now that you've seen my perfect form, why haven't you knelt yet?"
Gyokko was in no hurry to attack. Believing victory was already in his grasp, he coiled his tail around a tree and smugly described to Kiyokawa Izumi how perfect his body was.
"Whew—"
'This is bad! My stamina is severely depleted. In this state, how am I supposed to face Upper Rank Five at full power?'
Kiyokawa Izumi actually didn't feel particularly honored.
This twisted fellow said he was the third human to see it—meaning that previously, there were two Hashira who, without knowing his abilities, managed to push him to use his full power?
Unlike him, who knew the plot, those two as-yet-unnamed Hashira must have been truly strong.
They forced out upper rank five's true form while in their base state. While he admired them, it was also a pity that they ultimately failed to slay Gyokko.
'At this moment, there's no turning back... so bring it on!'
'Fourth Form: Five Senses Reflection: Myriad Phenomena of the Forest!'
Kiyokawa Izumi did not hesitate for a second. Having revealed all his trump cards, he tightly gripped the nichirin blade in his hand.
"Damn you! How dare you zone out after seeing my perfect form... This is absolutely unforgivable!"
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk way too much?
With your twisted aesthetic and your trashy, clumsy, and eyesore-inducing works, do you even deserve to mention the word 'art'?"
Kiyokawa Izumi pointed the tip of his blade directly at Gyokko. His words, though not particularly harsh, easily shattered the demon's fragile psychological defenses.