The battle that erupted within the Infinity Castle was not limited to Shinichi's location alone.
The clash of Forest Breathing was like a horn blast announcing the start of a war.
At almost the same instant, a full-scale war between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons broke out throughout the Infinity Castle!
Somewhere in the Infinity Castle, on an unusually wide, brightly lit platform, three figures had joined forces.
Himejima Gyomei held his cold Nichirin flail and axe while chanting a Buddhist sutra in a low voice.
The brothers, Tokito Yuichiro and Tokito Muichiro, held a maple-red Nichirin Sword and an azure-blue Nichirin Sword respectively, their faces bearing an extreme solemnity that belied their age.
Not far in front of the three of them, a tall figure exuding an overwhelmingly terrifying aura was slowly stepping out from the shadows.
Six scarlet eyes lit up in the darkness, like beacons from hell.
The long, purplish, misshapen blade was casually slung at his waist, its twisted blade covered in living flesh.
Just by standing there, his formless pressure seemed to make the very air solidify.
Upper Rank One, Kokushibo.
"We meet again, Stone Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps... and two brats who are far too young." Kokushibo's voice was as placid as an old well, betraying no emotion, but his six eyes were precisely locked onto the three of them—or rather, he was paying more attention to the Tokito brothers.
"A familiar scent..."
Yuichiro and Muichiro's bodies tensed simultaneously.
They had never crossed swords with Kokushibo, but his mere gaze was enough to create a suffocating sense of oppression.
"Namu Amida Butsu." Himejima Gyomei took a step forward, an seemingly formless aura emanating from him that cut off Kokushibo's oppressive presence, shouldering some of the pressure for the youths behind him.
"Tokito boys, fall back a little. This demon's strength far surpasses ours. Do not engage him head-on!"
"Himejima-san!" Yuichiro gritted his teeth, the airflow of Maple Breathing beginning to coil around his blade.
He was a little defiant.
Who would be afraid of that six-eyed freak?
"Follow my orders!" Himejima's voice suddenly turned stern. "Upper Rank One is not an opponent that can be easily defeated with courage alone. We must be cautious!"
Having fought Kokushibo before, he was extremely careful.
The moment his voice fell, Kokushibo moved.
Without warning, without an afterimage, a purple, crescent-shaped blade flash seemed to cross space itself, appearing directly in front of Himejima!
"Stone Breathing, Second Form: Upper Smash!"
Himejima Gyomei roared, and his Nichirin flail, wrapped in the heavy, mountain-like glow of Stone Breathing, smashed toward the blade flash!
BOOM!
The muffled sound was like two mountains colliding!
The terrifying shockwave cracked the ground beneath their feet!
Himejima took a step back, leaving a deep footprint in the ground, and a not-so-shallow gash appeared on his arm.
"Decent power." Kokushibo commented indifferently, but his six eyes glanced at the Tokito brothers who were trying to find an opening at the side.
"But, you're distracted."
Swish!
An extremely fast and subtle crescent-shaped blade of air appeared out of nowhere, slashing toward Yuichiro's neck!
It was so fast it nearly surpassed the limits of visual perception!
"Maple Breathing, Third Form: Leaf Autumn!" Yuichiro only had time to swing his sword to block on pure instinct.
"Mist Breathing, Second Form: Eight-Layered Mist!" Muichiro's figure flickered, and in a blur, eight consecutive azure-blue slashes struck directly at Kokushibo.
Clang! Pfft!
Kokushibo's blade flash was deflected, but a small spray of blood also erupted from Yuichiro's shoulder.
Muichiro's slashes, however, hit empty air. Kokushibo's figure vanished from his spot, and a thin line of blood appeared on Muichiro's cheek.
"Upper Rank One..." Muichiro ignored the bead of blood on his face, his gaze sharp as he turned and shouted.
"Brother, we can't fight him head-on."
Yuichiro clutched his shoulder, the fighting spirit in his eyes blazing.
"Don't worry! I'll be careful!"
Himejima took a deep breath, spinning his Nichirin flail as he rushed in front of the two. His low voice carried an unquestionable resolve.
"Tokito boys, I'll be the main attacker. You two look for an opportunity!"
As he spoke, the crescent-shaped blades and Kokushibo's figure attacked once more!
The roar of Stone Breathing exploded again!
...
Meanwhile, in another bizarre space within the Infinity Castle where houses were inverted and chaotic.
Scorching blade flashes and ice-blue battle aura intertwined here.
Half of the ground seemed to be burning flames, while the other half was covered in patterns of icy snowflakes.
Three figures were in a fierce battle with a bare-chested figure covered in blue tattoos.
"Flame Breathing, Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!" Rengoku Kyojuro roared, the blazing flame of his blade transforming into a massive fiery vortex, attempting to swallow Upper Rank Three, Akaza, at its center.
His offense was as ferocious and ardent as ever, like a sun that would never be extinguished.
"Love Breathing, Third Form: Catlove Shower!" Kanroji Mitsuri's figure was light and flexible.
Her unique, ribbon-like Nichirin Sword traced countless heart-shaped trajectories, covering Akaza's back in an impenetrable net to coordinate with Kyojuro's attack.
"Serpent Breathing, Second Form: Venom Fangs of the Narrow Head!" Iguro Obanai was like a true venomous snake, his figure weaving bizarrely through the gaps between the others.
His winding Nichirin Sword was like a snake flicking its tongue, each thrust aimed at Akaza's vitals and joints, sinister and deadly.
However, facing their combined attack, their opponent, Akaza, seemed to be enjoying the fight.
He laughed heartily, using his fists and legs, which were covered in blue battle aura, to clash head-on with Rengoku's flame blade, parry Mitsuri's love slashes, and dodge Obanai's venomous stings.
The airflow turned chaotic wherever his battle aura passed!
"Good! Very good! Now this is more like it! You are all very strong!" A fanatical fighting spirit burned in Akaza's eyes, especially when he looked at Rengoku Kyojuro.
"Your flames! Your battle aura! So dazzling! Tell me your name and become a demon! Fight with me for all eternity!"
"Absurd!" Rengoku Kyojuro's blade strikes grew fiercer. "As the Flame Hashira! My flames burn only to slay demons! Flame Breathing, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!"
The surging flames transformed into a roaring tiger and pounced! Akaza did not dodge or evade, but threw a punch forward.
"Destructive Death: Annihilation Style!"
The terrifying explosion knocked Rengoku back, but he immediately stabilized himself and charged again.
Mitsuri and Obanai attacked from the flanks, their coordination seamless as the three of them firmly trapped Akaza.
.....
Inside a cold Buddhist hall where ice crystal-covered lotuses and lotus leaves floated, the air was filled with a strange, sweet, floral scent.
The Kocho sisters stood side by side, their Nichirin Swords flowing with the pink glow of Flower Breathing and the purple light of Insect Breathing.
Opposite them, Upper Rank Two, Doma, dressed in lavish clothes and wearing the crown of the Eternal Paradise Faith, held a pair of golden fans.
He was gazing at them "lovingly" with his rainbow-colored eyes.
"Ara, ara, what a beautiful pair of sister flowers," Upper Rank Two, Doma, fanned himself gently, the ice crystals before him scattering with the wind.
He stared at Kanae. "Especially you... Miss Kanae, right? I still remember your scent, you know. It was such a pity I let you escape when we first met. This time, may I invite you both to become a part of me? We can be friends forever~"
"Shut up." Shinobu took a step forward, shielding her sister.
Her usually gentle voice was now as cold as ice, and fury burned in her violet eyes.
Kanae gently placed a hand on her younger sister's, a gentle smile still on her face, but beneath that smile was an unprecedented coldness.
"The friends you speak of, are they the innocent lives you've devoured? We have no need for such a friendship."
"How stubborn." Doma shook his head in regret. "But, the more stubborn a friend is, the more flavorful they are to savor. Blood Demon Art: Frozen Lotus."
Countless sharp, ice-crystal lotus petals shot out like a torrential downpour! Each one was sharp enough to easily sever steel!
"Flower Breathing, Fourth Form: Crimson Hanagoromo!" Kanae swung her Nichirin Sword, the pink blade light transforming into a multi-layered barrier of petals, blocking most of the ice crystals.
"Insect Breathing, Dance of the Bee Sting: True Flutter!" Shinobu's figure moved like a phantom, her slender Nichirin Sword precisely shattering the ice crystals that slipped through the net.
At the same time, she rapidly closed the distance, the purple light of her blade stabbing straight for Doma's throat.
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