In the world of Demon Slayer, a Bright Red Nichirin Sword—the Hekito—could be considered the most stern father to all Upper Rank demons. Because of their regenerative abilities, which far exceed those of ordinary demons, the Upper Ranks, exemplified by Akaza, preferred a combat style centered on trading injuries for kills. They would take a hit to inflict a crippling wound on the slayers, who could not recover.
However, the existence of the Bright Red Blade turned the very tactics these demons relied upon into a path of suicide. Any area cut by a red blade had its regenerative capacity suppressed to a nearly negligible degree. In other words, once the red blade appeared, the battle between demon and human was forcibly dragged into a state of equality.
There are three ways to manifest a Bright Red Blade:
First: Using a specific Blood Demon Art as a catalyst—specifically, the unique secondary effect produced by Nezuko's "Exploding Blood." This was a special case and therefore outside Kiyokazu's current considerations.
Second: Immense grip strength. By applying overwhelming force with one's hands, the body's heat (especially the 39-degree Celsius temperature reached after awakening the Demon Slayer Mark) is transferred to the blade. However, this method is generally only effective after the Mark has manifested and usually requires a life-or-death crisis. In the current situation, this was virtually impossible.
Third: Through the violent clashing of two Nichirin Swords or, as the Stone Hashira did, by rubbing the iron flail and axe together to generate heat through friction. In the original timeline, the Wind and Water Hashira had used this very method to ignite their blades.
Considering these options, Kiyokazu decisively chose the third. While his raw physical stats were far inferior to Rengoku Mujuro's, making it impossible to trigger the red blade through brute force alone, there was a variable at play.
His Sun Breathing, during its circulation, naturally increased the temperature of his own blade. By combining this with his peerless technical skill, he could induce the red transformation in Mujuro's sword!
Rengoku Mujuro did not disappoint. The moment Kiyokazu's voice fell, Mujuro's Nichirin Sword erupted into the exact same technique Kiyokazu was executing.
"Flame Breathing, Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!" x2
This was a move Mujuro had used only once during their sparring, yet Kiyokazu was now replicating it flawlessly. Watching Kiyokazu move in a perfect mirror image of himself, Mujuro felt his mind momentarily blank from the sheer shock.
But the real surprise was yet to come. After initiating the technique, Kiyokazu suddenly shifted his form on the second swing!
"Don't mind me, Master Rengoku! Keep using the technique! Trust my blade!"
Kiyokazu's voice rang in his ears. Mujuro did not betray his expectations. He did not hesitate for a fraction of a second; even in the face of a powerhouse like Upper Rank Three, he displayed absolute, unwavering trust in Kiyokazu.
Watching Mujuro's attack, Akaza's expression turned to one of dissatisfaction. The technique was somewhat sophisticated, but both the speed and power of the swings were significantly inferior to those of the Thunder Hashira from moments ago. Under normal circumstances, he might have offered a few words of praise, but the previous displays from Nao and Kiyokazu had raised his expectations far too high. Akaza had no interest in Mujuro's current strike.
Just as he raised his hand, intending to deflect the blade with a side-strike and end Mujuro, Kiyokazu's blade abruptly changed direction!
With a sharp clink, sparks flew from the collision of the two Nichirin Swords. The section of Mujuro's blade that had been struck instantly glowed with a faint red light.
Akaza stared at that dark-red, molten glow swirling along Mujuro's steel. A sudden surge of revulsion and a premonition of danger—drilled into his very soul—enveloped him. This sensation... it was nearly identical to what he felt when facing the sun! Although the red glow on the blade felt infinitely weaker than direct sunlight, Akaza was certain: the essence of the two powers was the same!
That wasn't all. In Akaza's original calculation, Mujuro's attack was so transparent he could have countered it with his eyes closed. But the moment Kiyokazu's blade struck Mujuro's, the impact caused the trajectory of the flame-blade to become erratic and unpredictable!
More staggeringly, Mujuro's technique didn't lose power from having its direction disrupted. Instead, under Kiyokazu's constant clashing, the strikes became smoother and more fluid. The Flame Breathing style, which was originally characterized by bold, straightforward, and wide-arcing movements, became as agile and elusive as fire itself under Kiyokazu's "interference"—which was, in reality, expert guidance.
His Battle Spirit... I can't pin it down!
The moment Akaza locked onto the trajectory of one of Mujuro's slashes, Kiyokazu's blade would strike it to make a micro-adjustment. That terrifying vortex of flames was no longer a fixed circle; it twisted and coiled like a living entity, sealing off every possible escape route!
Under Kiyokazu's sublime artistry, the "Compass Needle" was rendered utterly meaningless!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The crisp, rapid-fire ringing of steel on steel was ceaseless. It no longer felt like two men fighting Akaza; it felt as if Kiyokazu was using Mujuro's physical stats as a puppet, with Kiyokazu himself acting as the master strategist behind the steel. Through a nearly impossible display of swordsmanship, he completely erased the gap between them in both raw power and technical skill!
Since Kiyokazu's stats weren't enough, he was using Mujuro as a substitute to clash blades with Akaza!
Every collision caused the red light on Mujuro's blade to burn brighter, the scorching heat even distorting the air around them. Mujuro himself was stunned by the transformation of his own technique, but he converted his absolute trust in Kiyokazu into pure instinct.
The moment Kiyokazu performed another clever clash to adjust his striking angle, a sensation of the entire world becoming "transparent" surfaced in Mujuro's mind. In the next instant, as if by second nature, his Nichirin Sword flipped. He transformed into a meteor of flames flying low to the ground, his speed exploding as he thrust his blade directly toward Akaza's neck!
But at the very moment he was about to connect with Akaza, Kiyokazu pushed Mujuro's blade downward.
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Demon Slayer: Starting by Snatching Daki(95 Chapter- Ongoing)
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