Himejima Gyomei was already twenty-seven years old.
According to the conditions for awakening the Transparent World, he should have died the moment he activated it—
for aside from Yoriichi, no other swordsman who bore the Demon Slayer Mark had ever lived past the age of twenty-five.
This realization left Tsugikuni Michikatsu deeply shaken, for of all the warriors present, the one he least expected to awaken a Mark was Gyomei.
Gyomei's Mark spread across both of his arms, resembling dark gray patterns of weathered stone.
Having reached the supreme domain of the Transparent World, even though he was blind, Gyomei could now perceive every motion of battle directly within his mind's eye.
The moment his awakening occurred, it triggered a chain reaction among the others.
Soon, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Muichiro Tokito, Iguro Obanai, and several others each awakened Marks of their own.
To buy time for the Hashira to awaken, Tsugikuni Michikatsu fought with everything he had, relying on his immense strength and mastery of the Transparent World to barely withstand the combined assault of Doma, Hantengu, and Nakime.
But Hakuji, Gyutaro, Koyuki, and Ume were already grievously wounded—the rate at which they healed could no longer keep up with the injuries they sustained.
Those who had awakened their Marks and stepped into the Transparent World began to see living beings as though their bodies were transparent, their movements and flow of life laid bare.
"We can win this!"
The air filled with renewed determination.
The Transparent World granted them not only extraordinary dynamic vision, but also heightened speed, sharper predictive instinct, and unparalleled evasive ability.
"Stone Breathing, First Form: Serpentinite Bipolar!"
Gyomei simultaneously hurled both his flail and axe in a pincer strike toward Hantengu.
Underestimating the Hashira, Hantengu crossed four of his arms to block.
But the sheer impact of Gyomei's attack sent him staggering backward several steps.
"Wind Breathing, Seventh Form: Gale—Sudden Gusts!"
Sanemi Shinazugawa unleashed a barrage of spiraling wind blades that whirled toward Hantengu like twin tornadoes.
Within an instant, the deadly vortex enveloped him.
Sensing the imminent danger, Nakime swiftly plucked her biwa, granting Hantengu a surge of speed.
Empowered by her rhythm, Hantengu barely slipped through the gaps in the storm—but six of his arms and half his torso were shredded by the spiraling winds.
He retreated behind Doma, activating his regeneration to heal the wounds.
"Serpent Breathing, Second Form: Venom Fangs of Narrow Head!"
Iguro Obanai moved like a coiling viper, his eyes locking onto the wounded Hantengu.
In an instant, he slithered behind his target, striking at the demon's exposed neck.
Doma's fingers formed another seal.
A massive ice hand materialized, scooping Hantengu up in its palm to shield him.
Obanai's blade crashed into the icy hand—
under the combined effects of the Transparent World and his Nichirin Blade, the frozen construct shattered—
but his strike lost momentum before it could reach Hantengu's throat.
Doma retaliated, conjuring several sharp ice pillars that shot toward Obanai like spears.
"Love Breathing, Third Form: Catlove Shower!"
Mitsuri Kanroji, in perfect sync with Obanai, leapt in with feline grace, her sword dancing in fluid arcs that shattered every ice pillar.
She then seized Obanai by the arm, pulling him safely out of the demons' reach.
With the Hashira fighting in perfect rhythm—each wielding the Transparent World and their Nichirin Blades—
even Doma, Hantengu, and Nakime began to falter under the relentless assault.
"Blood Demon Art: Freezing Clouds!"
Desperate to break their rhythm, Doma summoned the spectral Buddha behind him, which exhaled dense clouds of glacial mist, threatening to engulf the battlefield.
At once, Muichiro Tokito and Tsugikuni Michikatsu struck in unison, both channeling the Moon Breathing forms.
"Moon Breathing, Fourteenth Form: Catastrophe—Tenman Crescent Moon!"
Countless great arcs of slashing moonlight intertwined with full moon-shaped blades, dispersing every trace of Doma's icy fog.
As the clouds parted, Tomioka Giyu seized the opening.
"Water Breathing, Tenth Form: Constant Flux!"
Like a surging dragon, Giyu spun and surged forward, his continuous blade strikes directed not at Doma, but at Nakime.
For it was Nakime's spatial and rhythmic control that allowed Doma and Hantengu to barely keep pace with the Marked warriors.
If she fell, their coordination would crumble.
Doma moved immediately to defend her.
Seeing this, Giyu shouted—
"Tanjiro! Zenitsu! Inosuke! Now!"
From the shadows, the three young Demon Slayers—who had been waiting for their moment—sprang forth.
Their target: the still-recovering Hantengu.
With Doma occupied, Hantengu had no one left to protect him.
"Beast Breathing, Ninth Fang: Extending Bendy Slash!"
Inosuke lunged forward, dislocating his joints to extend his attack's reach, his twin blades whipping out toward Hantengu.
Caught off guard, Hantengu took the blow—his six newly regenerated arms were severed once again.
Before he could counterattack with his remaining limbs, a flash of lightning split the air.
"Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form: Flame God's Speed!"
Zenitsu appeared in an instant—his thunderclap strike severed the six remaining arms cleanly.
"Hinokami Kagura: Radiance of Divine Blessing!"
Tanjiro leapt high into the air, his blade wreathed in a blazing spiral of sunlike flames as he brought it down in a descending strike upon Hantengu.
Tanjiro's Nichirin Blade bit into Hantengu's neck—
Zenitsu and Inosuke followed up immediately, their blades striking from either side.
But Hantengu's neck was unnaturally hard—
all four Nichirin Blades jammed against his spine, unable to cleave through.
Seeing Hantengu's life in peril, Doma and Nakime combined their power, blasting Giyu back and rushing toward Tanjiro's trio.
"Insect Breathing, Dance of the Centipede !"
Shinobu Kocho dashed forward, her footwork so sharp and forceful it cracked the ground beneath her, darting erratically in all directions to disrupt Doma and Nakime's advance.
"Flower Breathing, Final Form: Scarlet Spider Lily Eyes!"
Kanae Kocho increased the pressure in her eyes, enhancing her dynamic vision to its absolute peak.
To her, Doma and Nakime's movements slowed to a crawl.
Working in perfect harmony with her sister, she intercepted the demons' charge.
The remaining Hashira joined in, forming a defensive ring—holding back Doma and Nakime to give Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke the moment they needed.
Their combined roars filled the battlefield—
Tanjiro's forehead Mark flared, Inosuke's chest Mark expanded, and markings appeared upon Zenitsu's legs as he too entered the Transparent World.
Empowered by the resonance of the Transparent World and the heat of their Nichirin Blades,
the three struck once more with everything they had.
Hantengu's neck, at last, could not withstand their power—
it split open under the force of their combined blades.
His six grotesque heads tumbled through the air,each bearing an expression of utter disbelief as they fell.