"You deserve to die!" Daki's voice tore through the night. She inhaled deeply, and a dark purple aura nearly visible to the eye burst from her body.
Eight sharp, blade-like sashes materialized around her, each glinting with lethal intent. Unlike the elegant, nimble sashes from before, these were thicker, serrated, and designed to shred anything in their path. Under Daki's control, they extended like living weapons, forming a dense web over the eaves.
"Blood Demon Art: Eight-Layered Sash Slash!"
Her low cry accompanied the sashes' coordinated assault. They not only blocked all escape routes but also wove an almost impenetrable net, striking Raiden from multiple angles. The battlefield became suffocatingly oppressive. The hiss of fabric slicing the air rang continuously, each movement radiating danger.
Raiden stood calmly amidst the chaos, expression unreadable.
"Just broken sashes trying different angles. Not very interesting," he muttered softly. Sparks of electricity suddenly arced around his body.
The eight sashes engulfed him like curtains, but Raiden remained unfazed. Daki's lips curved in a rare expression of relief. The Eight-Layered Sash Slash left only a fleeting opening—escape was nearly impossible. Even Older Brother would have to maneuver carefully. Seven Hashira had fallen to this technique; surely, this Yellow-haired boy would be the eighth, earning Muzan's praise.
Yet before Daki could indulge in her fantasies, the edges of the sashes began to glow faintly. Her eyes narrowed, sensing something amiss. The electric arcs around Raiden intensified, illuminating the sashes like stars scattered across the night sky. Lightning sparked in the gaps, heralding imminent destruction.
Raiden's figure flickered within the crackling light, his gaze seeming to pierce through Daki's every move.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
At his words, lightning converged on Raiden's nichirin blade, blooming into a brilliance too dazzling to look at directly. He surged forward with terrifying speed, the sound of wind breaking heralding his assault. Daki reacted swiftly but was a heartbeat too slow.
Raiden's blade flashed, slicing through the eight sashes in a single, blinding strike. Some sashes charred instantly, others hung limply, stripped of structure and menace. Through the shattered net, Raiden appeared before Daki, blade aimed at her neck.
A pink sash reemerged at the connection between her head and neck, preventing her immediate death.
"How troublesome," Raiden murmured, tilting his head. He could have severed her last life-sustaining sash in one stroke, but merely killing Daki would be pointless. Gyuutarou remained; without killing them together, Daki would rapidly regenerate.
"You're strong, but killing you this way will make Muzan even happier," he added, almost teasingly.
Daki's hands covered her face, veins pulsing along her arms, a maddened smile spreading across her lips. Then several sashes, seemingly with their own will, flew from across the Entertainment District, merging with her body. They seeped through her skin like water, and her transformation began.
Her hair turned white at the roots, fading into deep green at the tips. Her aura shifted dramatically, an invisible force field distorting the air around her.
Raiden observed silently, muttering, "Almost forgot about this. No wonder Daki, who killed seven Hashira, seemed weak."
She had been holding back, her attacks previously less threatening because she hadn't recalled all her sashes. Daki now stood fully powered, her presence alone warping the surrounding air. She stretched her neck and pointed, sashes surging forward.
"No, you're putting on an act again. Do you really think sending a few broken sashes back will help?" Raiden said lightly, already anticipating her next move.
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