A special thank you to all my patrons:
—Cain, Jacob Mooe, HADES, Varun Madhu, Gonzalo Sumalavia, kevin Williams, merp., Jose Carrillo, Derek M, DancingMonkey65, Joseph, Jose Sierra, AR3S, Nuro.
You can read 30 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - [email protected]/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
—————————————————————
"Let's not do that." Kaito's right hand fingers plucked a small paper figure out of thin air.
"I certainly don't want to be lumped in the same category as you all!"
He pressed the small paper figure against his chest.
A flash of spiritual light later, the paper figure vanished without a trace. His body instantly became more solid, and a shadow reappeared at his feet.
"A spirit possessing a paper figure? In over two hundred years, this is the first time I've seen an existence like yours!"
Upper Moon Three looked thoroughly intrigued.
"Hey! Demon Slayer Corps, where did you find this spirit?"
"…"
Uzui and Obanai both looked at Kaito with expressions that said, "I knew it."
Kaito glanced back at the two of them and decisively gave up on explaining.
Upper Moon Three then asked Kaito, "Hey, are you from the Seimei Shrine in Kyoto? Are you related to that famous Abe no Seimei?"
Kaito blinked and answered truthfully, "I was merely fortunate enough to receive instruction from Lord Seimei a few times."
"…"
He then felt the gazes from the two swordsmen behind him grow even more peculiar.
"Big brother," Daki asked Gyūtarō, "Abe no Seimei… how long ago was that?"
"Huh? I don't know." Gyūtarō, who had never attended school, was also clueless.
"He was a figure from the Heian-kyō period, right… a few hundred years?" replied Upper Moon Three, who likewise had never received an education.
"It's been nearly a thousand years…" Uzui's voice chimed in.
"Is that so?" Upper Moon Three nodded. "A thousand years it is, then."
"A thousand years!!!" Daki began shrieking again. "What do we do! Can we even fight him?! And we have no way to deal with a spirit at all!! What are we going to do about the mission!!!"
"Ah…" Upper Moon Three scratched his head irritably. "This… when it comes to dealing with spirits, it seems I don't have a method either."
"Then how are we going to answer to him…" Daki seemed to recall something extremely terrifying and began trembling.
"Then hand it over." Upper Moon Three turned and reached out his hand to Daki.
"What?" Daki clutched her chest tightly.
Upper Moon Three stared into her eyes. "You know what."
"I…" Daki's face was full of reluctance.
"Hand it over."
Gyūtarō suddenly reached out, tore a crystal pendant hanging from a red string from Daki's chest, and handed it to Upper Moon Three.
"That is…"
Uzui recognized it at a glance; it was precisely the "gift" Kaito had asked him to deliver to Daki.
Kaito merely watched quietly, smiling without speaking.
Upper Moon Three took the glowing crystal pendant, brought it under his nose, and took a deep breath.
"I see." He grinned. "This thing really can enhance a demon's power more than Marechi
rare blood. No wonder even Lord Muzan has taken an interest."
"That's mine… mine…"
Daki glared furiously at Gyūtarō, who had snatched the pendant, muttering incessantly under her breath.
"Hmm… yes, I understand…" Upper Moon Three suddenly began talking to himself.
Seeing him like this, Daki immediately covered her mouth and fell silent.
"Star Word Spirit!"
"Talisman Life!"
Seizing the opportunity, Kaito replenished the magical enhancements on the two swordsmen.
Over there, Daki asked cautiously, "What are Lord Muzan's orders?"
"Ah, Lord Muzan is very interested in this thing. He wants me to bring that spirit back as well…"
Upper Moon Three stuffed the crystal pendant into his belt and assumed a fighting stance. A large snowflake pattern appeared on the ground beneath his feet.
"…Lord Muzan told me that techniques which can harm the spirit and will can also injure the soul. Let me test it using the fighting spirit I've tempered and refined through countless battles!"
In an instant, a terrifyingly powerful aura erupted from his body, shooting skyward. The air around them became unbearably oppressive.
"Be careful!"
Uzui and Obanai drew their Nichirin Blades and flashed in front of Kaito, shielding him.
"Oh? You two have become much stronger." Upper Moon Three sensed their increased aura and suddenly said delightedly, "I am Upper Moon Three, Akaza. What are your names?"
"Demon Slayer Corps Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui."
"Serpent Hashira, Iguro Obanai."
The two swordsmen announced their titles while observing Akaza. Beads of sweat gradually seeped from their foreheads.
No openings!
This demon's fighting spirit was immensely powerful, seamless and complete.
Fellow warriors themselves, the two immediately sensed the gap in realm between them.
"As expected of Upper Moon Three…"
Obanai tightened his grip on his Nichirin Blade.
"If Upper Moon Three is this fearsome… how on earth did Kochō manage to defeat Upper Moon Two?!"
Uzui felt he needed to look at the Flower Hashira with completely new eyes.
"Doma? That guy is different from me."
Akaza, seemingly in a leisurely mood, explained.
"That guy isn't a martial artist. He hasn't tempered his fighting spirit. All he has are some flashy, bizarre tricks!!"
He seemed to hold Doma in great contempt.
'Then why did you lose to him in the Blood Battle for position!' Daki silently complained, staring at Akaza's back, furious but not daring to speak.
"It seems we've delayed a bit too long." Akaza looked up at the moon's position, then grinned at the three of them. "Let's settle this quickly!"
Instantly, he rapidly swung his fists, launching a flurry of punches too fast to see clearly. Several mighty waves of fist force detached from his fists, roaring forth with immense impact.
"Air Type!"
"Block it!!" Uzui and Obanai desperately swung their Nichirin Blades to defend. Sharp blade glows clashed repeatedly with the condensed fist force, and the two were forced to slide backward.
Akaza rushed forward at high speed to close the distance with the two, shifting his stance to stand on one leg.
"Leg Type: Explosive Flurry!"
The leg he raised instantly delivered multiple fierce kicks, like flashes of light exploding.
"So fast!"
The two Hashira defended with their combined Nichirin Blades, but their bodies were still sent flying backward.
Akaza seized the chance to jump, instantly leaping to a position above Kaito.
"Let me test whether this fighting spirit can harm a spirit or not!"
He delivered a fierce punch from above.
"Crushing Type: Ten Thousand Leaves Flashing Willow!"
The condensed fist force pierced through the earth. Dust flew up, and the ground shattered in a leaf-vein pattern.
"Missed?" Akaza backflipped and landed, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Was that position just an illusion?"
"If the opponent is too weak, I can't sense them through fighting spirit after all," he said somewhat displeased. "It's rare to find someone so weak they don't have even a shred of fighting spirit."
"Your opponents are us!!"
Uzui leaped to a position above Akaza. Two sharp blade glows, accompanied by explosions, slashed downward rapidly.
"Sound Breathing, First Form: Roar!"
Simultaneously, Obanai's blade glow traced a winding curve, appearing behind Akaza, its tip thrusting towards the back of his neck.
"Serpent Breathing, Second Form: Venom Fang of the Narrow Head!"