"Hey! Run faster!"
Sanemi Shinazugawa's agitated voice echoed through Infinity Castle, and in an instant, sharp wind blades sliced the ignorant demons in his path into smithereens.
With a look of disgust, he yelled at the person behind him. Sanemi Shinazugawa wished he had four legs right now. He was already blaming himself for failing to protect his Master, and now that annoying Giyu Tomioka was getting in his way!
He had just received orders that Tengen and Muichiro were confronting Upper Rank One. On their way there, they coincidentally encountered Giyu Tomioka.
Despite his reluctance, orders came first, so he could only proceed with Giyu Tomioka.
Now, whenever Sanemi Shinazugawa saw Giyu Tomioka, he felt like he would pull out an ohagi and ask him if he wanted to eat it. Both of them were so annoying!
Thinking this, Sanemi Shinazugawa ran even faster.
"?" Seeing this, Giyu Tomioka also quickened his pace, following behind Shinazugawa.
Wind Breathing, Third Form: Clear Storm Wind Tree!
Multiple wind blades swept towards the demons attempting to block their path, not giving them any time to react. Sanemi Shinazugawa's unstoppable attacks had already torn their bodies to shreds, and he paid no mind to the demon blood splashing on his face.
"Tch, they keep popping up, it's endless!"
"Boom!" A colossal demon burst through the architecture, its fist smashing towards Sanemi Shinazugawa. The next second, water splashed everywhere as flowing water severed the demon's head.
Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel!
Giyu Tomioka swiftly retracted his nichirin blade, turned to look at Sanemi Shinazugawa, his indifferent voice flat and calm.
"Let's move forward."
"ꐦ!" A vein suddenly bulged on his forehead as Sanemi Shinazugawa gritted his teeth and spoke.
"I don't need your help!"
Giyuu looked at him inexplicably, not understanding why Sanemi was so angry, and chose to remain silent, turning his head to continue forward.
Sanemi Shinazugawa, being ignored, became even more furious!
"ꐦ!"
"Bastard!"
...What should I do now?
Shinazugawa Genya hid behind a pillar, observing Muichiro and Uzui Tengen, who were fiercely battling Upper Rank One.
He couldn't use breathing techniques, so rushing in with his sword was unrealistic. He didn't believe a mere flintlock could harm Upper Rank One.
Feeling the oppressive aura of Upper Rank One, his legs involuntarily felt a bit weak.
Genya gripped his thigh tightly, forcing himself to stay calm.
He pulled out something carefully wrapped in cloth from his in my arms. Opening it, a few strands of golden hair came into view.
Yoizumi-san had given these to him before.
He swallowed hard. If he could play a part and help the Sound Hashira and Mist Hashira defeat Upper Rank One, then his brother would surely look at him in a new light.
Thinking this, Shinazugawa Genya didn't hesitate and swallowed the strands of hair.
After eating them, Genya's pupils suddenly constricted, his breathing involuntarily quickened, demonic fangs appeared, and his appearance underwent a drastic change... Sound Breathing, Fifth Form: String Performance!
Mist Breathing, Sixth Form: Lunar Dispersing Mist!
Uzui Tengen and Muichiro simultaneously launched wide-ranging attacks, working together to prevent Kokushibou from using his breathing techniques.
The opponent's breathing technique was truly tricky.
Both the damage and the range were things they had never seen before!
"Good... coordination," Kokushibou praised in a low voice. His sleeve had actually been torn by them.
It's time to get serious.
Moon Breathing, Fifth Form: Moon Spirit Calamity Vortex!
?!
Kokushibou, without even swinging his sword, suddenly made moon blades appear. The two couldn't dodge in time and could only try their best to protect their vital areas.
Both were covered in wounds of varying sizes, having sustained different degrees of injury.
Muichiro was sweating profusely from the pain; his right pinky finger had been accidentally severed. He knew that if the pinky finger couldn't bend, he couldn't clench his fist with force.
The hand gripping his nichirin blade trembled slightly.
What exactly was going on?
Uzui Tengen was panting heavily, his vision blurred by blood.
Tricky... too tricky!
Forget waiting for others to arrive; whether they could even last a few more rounds was the question!
If he could draw out a musical score, he might still have a chance to fight, but the opponent gave him no time at all!
Taking a glance at Muichiro's condition, Uzui Tengen pursed his lips. Muichiro was, after all, too young. It wasn't his style to let such a young man stand in front of him.
God of Flashiness! Of course, he must fight flashily!
Then let's go all out!
Uzui Tengen gritted his teeth, prominent veins bulging on his arms. The next second, his two greatswords gradually turned red under Kokushibou's astonished gaze.
Kokushibou stared intently at the reddened greatswords, his mind filled with only one question.
Why?
Why could he turn his blade red, when he was not a user of Breath of the Sun!
It was something he had tried countless times back then but could never achieve!
"!" When he clearly saw Muichiro's condition, Kokushibou's calm face could no longer be maintained, and his three eyes revealed intense jealousy.
Seeing the red blade, Kokushibou's mind uncontrollably brought forth the man he had once envied so much.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni... his younger brother.
Muichiro's mint-green nichirin blade also activated its red blade thanks to his efforts.
He only lost a point of leverage; it wasn't like he couldn't move anymore!
He firmly held his nichirin blade upright in front of him, pointing directly at Kokushibou.
Since he was his ancestor, he would be the one to end him personally!
Mist Breathing, Seventh Form: Obscuring Clouds!
Muichiro's figure became illusory, concealed in the mist, making him elusive. While moving at extremely high speed, Muichiro was also searching for an opportunity to attack the opponent.
Sound Breathing, First Form: Roar!
In a blink of an eye, he advanced several meters, reaching Kokushibou's front. His two red greatswords were raised high, the sound of rushing air exploding in their ears, along with a massive roar.
"Boom!"
A deep pit was blasted where Kokushibou had been. The next second, Uzui Tengen uncontrollably coughed up blood, and even Muichiro was forced to stop Obscuring Clouds, kneeling on the ground.
A gash had been cut across his abdomen, and Muichiro breathed carefully, his lung having been cut.
Kokushibou's figure reappeared, and now, the kokushibos blade in his hand had completely transformed!
Along the long blade, an aberrant blade with branching edges had grown!
Raising kokushibos blade high, Kokushibou decided to decapitate the two to appease his furious heart.
Just as the blade was about to cut off Uzui Tengen and Muichiro's heads, a gunshot pierced everyone's eardrums.
Kokushibou's blade snapped in response.
The broken blade clattered on the ground with a crisp sound.
The demonized Shinazugawa Genya appeared on the battlefield, holding a flintlock.
Kokushibou coldly watched the person who had interrupted him.
That gun was strange.
It hadn't fired a bullet, yet it had broken his blade out of thin air.
It was like... an invisible attack.
Kokushibou thought so.
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