"..."
How could Akaza not know the other party's intention? The truth was obvious—the enemy had already succeeded. Apokalypse required time to accumulate its strength. If such a powerful move had already been used, then it would certainly take a while before it could be used again.
But it didn't matter—because they still held a significant advantage.
Dozens of skinks flew chaotically through the air. The few remaining houses and trees nearby didn't stand a chance, obliterated into splinters and dust by the rampaging creatures.
The move worked—but the situation didn't improve.
Tanjirou gripped his blade tightly, his muscles tense. From time to time, he had to rush to rescue Nezuko and Genya from being overwhelmed.
Nezuko and Genya pressed forward in a frontal assault, while Tanjirou, Kanroji, and Muichirou flanked from the sides, constantly seeking opportunities to attack.
Even though they had never trained together before, they now moved like a synchronized team. The surviving members of the Demon Slayer Corps never lacked combat experience.
But it wasn't enough. The tide of battle needed to shift—otherwise, none of them would survive until dawn. Tanjirou had been using Yang Breathing for a while now. His condition had improved considerably, but not enough to unleash Fu Zhan.
What do I do?
His thoughts raced. He kept attacking, trying to maintain pressure on the enemy while analyzing the chaos in his mind.
On the other side, Akaza struck Genya with a brutal kick that sent him flying. The demon leapt backward, and a massive shadow loomed behind him—a flock of skinks swooping down upon the five fighters.
Everyone scattered in response. Some jumped onto the skinks' backs. Others weaved between their wings, using the gaps left behind as cover.
Akaza smiled as he observed the chaos, then shot forward.
One by one. Eliminate them. Start with the blue-haired kid.
In just a few swift steps, Akaza reached the back of the skink carrying Muichirou. The beast bucked and twisted midair, but both fighters maintained their balance with ease.
Everyone noticed Akaza's movement and began moving toward Muichirou—but Zeng Botian didn't give them the chance.
With a light tap on his drum, the massive skink under his control shifted position, cutting off everyone else from advancing.
A heavy wave of anxiety washed over the group.
We have to deal with the Upper Four first. His summons were too dangerous—both in size and scale. Left unchecked, they'd tear through the entire team.
"Nezuko! Genya! Miss Kanroji!" Tanjirou shouted.
That was all it took. The three fighters instantly understood what he was planning.
Kanroji moved first, her pink figure leaping from skink to skink, her ribbon-like Nichirin Blade carving through their wings and torsos with ease. Her approach toward Zeng Botian was swift and graceful.
Tanjirou switched to Thunder Breathing and launched himself like a bullet. The skinks behind him couldn't keep up—but new ones were already closing in.
"Thunder Breathing—First Form: Thunderclap and Flash, Sixfold!"
A surge of energy exploded at Tanjirou's feet. He crouched low—like a sprinter at the start of a race. Lightning crackled across the ground, and in an instant, he became a streak of purple light.
A skink lunged, mouth wide open—but he veered left without losing momentum.
Second strike. Third!
The arcs of lightning seemed to draw constellations in the night sky.
Nezuko and Genya pressed forward, dodging when they could. If hit, they'd bounce back up, bloodied but undeterred.
Before long, they had closed the distance to Zeng Botian.
Getting near him wasn't the hard part. The real challenge was landing a hit.
If only two or three approached, Zeng Botian could counter them easily. One would be restrained, and the others would be blasted by his sonic attacks.
But there are four of us.
If they could seriously injure Zeng Botian—cripple him to the point where he couldn't recover quickly—then the Stone Dragon could be neutralized. And then the team could reform a five-man strike force.
"You all think too highly of yourselves."
The voice came coldly from behind.
It was Akaza—charging full speed toward the group.
Behind him, Muichirou had been pinned to the ground by his own Nichirin Blades. He lay motionless.
A surge of despair pierced through Tanjirou's chest.
"Tokito!"
They were now being attacked from both sides. Two would need to continue pushing toward Zeng Botian, while the other two turned to defend against Akaza.
Without hesitation, Nezuko and Kanroji turned and rushed to intercept the Upper Three. Nezuko lacked sheer power—but as a demon, she was less vulnerable to death. Combined with Kanroji's agile and flexible blade style, they could at least stall him.
Tanjirou needed a partner who could withstand Zeng Botian's sonic attacks.
It had to be Genya.
Everything happened smoothly—as if they'd rehearsed it a hundred times. But it wasn't talent or coincidence. It was survival instinct honed through countless battles with death.
Every one of them had clawed their way through the jaws of evil spirits and emerged alive.
They had to succeed. They had already sacrificed too much.
Tanjirou's face was calm now. Not anxious, not panicked.
Not even saddened by Muichirou's fall.
His expression was emotionless—detached.
In his eyes, a red lotus spun slowly.
---
Let's go back a few days.
James had been instructing Tanjirou in Yang Breathing—smacking his knuckles with a ruler whenever he made a mistake.
"Ahh—!"
"Tanjirou..."
"Yes, James?"
"Have you ever thought of combining Sun Breathing with Thunder Breathing?"
"No… I haven't."
Smack! Another hit with the ruler.
"You can't just learn techniques by rote. Use your brain! Think beyond the obvious!"
Then, in a quieter tone, James continued, "In a life-or-death situation… you can try it. I can't guarantee the results, but it might be the only way."
---
Tanjirou snapped back to the present.
He felt invincible.
He could see every weak point in Zeng Botian's form—even the ones he couldn't smell before. Emotions no longer clouded him.
His senses sharpened into something terrifyingly mechanical.
A lotus-shaped flame mark now burned on his forehead.
A name drifted into his thoughts.
"Red Lotus Breathing Technique."
The world around him slowed.
Everyone seemed to move in slow motion—Zeng Botian still standing tall, while Nezuko and Kanroji struggled under Akaza's relentless assault.
He raised his Nichirin Blade, and in that instant, felt its emotion.
The blade was alive—breathing. It radiated sorrow and agony. It was near breaking.
He stepped forward.
A blur.
In a flash, he appeared at Zeng Botian's left flank.
He swung his sword.
Again. Again.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of slashes were carved into the demon's flesh—yet Zeng Botian didn't react.
In the next second, Tanjirou teleported again—this time appearing before Akaza.
A powerful horizontal slash swept toward the demon's neck.
For a brief moment, Akaza's mind went blank—then screamed in alarm. He ducked just in time, narrowly dodging decapitation.
As time resumed, the others turned and stared.
Tanjirou was already standing beside Kanroji.
"Charcoal…"
BOOM.
Zeng Botian looked down at his torso—only to find that it had already exploded into hundreds of chunks.
"Oh," he muttered, "well… that's familiar."
Akaza didn't speak.
He stared at Tanjirou in silence.
That last strike… had nearly killed him.
The faint burn on his neck confirmed it.
Tanjirou didn't move. His blade hung loosely by his side, a trail of blood and lightning sparking behind him.
The tide had turned.
But the battle was far from over.
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)