In an instant, crimson-gold arcs of electricity, like agile little snakes, swiftly coiled around Tendo's body, climbing upward. The arcs flickered with dazzling light, as if threatening to consume him.
At the same time, the ground beneath his feet began to crack, fissures spreading like a spider's web.In the next instant, invisible ripples spread out from beneath his feet, forming a massive circle of energy fluctuations.
Like a crimson-gold meteor, he streaked across the land in a straight line.
His blade danced like a storm, thunder roared, and all fell silent.
Under the pitch-black night sky, the crimson-gold Blade Wind coalesced into a Thunder Kirin, which bit down fiercely, decapitating ten Demons in one swift motion.
Throughout Mount Fujikasane, aside from the Hand Demon which might require a few extra strikes, none of the other Demons could withstand even a single blow from Tendo.
His haori was reduced to ashes by the intense heat, the remaining embers flickering like scattered starlight.
Sabito's jaw dropped. How could this guy be so strong—strong beyond imagination?
Then, suddenly, he grinned broadly and shouted, "Tendo! With you in the Demon Slayer Corps, I love it!"
Tendo glanced back with a smile and, to Sabito's utter bewilderment, grabbed his arms, spun him in a full circle, and hurled him forward.
"Sabito, you're up! Go wreck that bastard!"
"Didn't need you to tell me, hahaha!"
Sabito tightened his grip on the hilt, took a deep breath, and faced the barrage of thick, meteor-like arms with even greater fighting spirit.
In an instant, his blade transformed into a downpour of icy rain, scattering in all directions.
Water Breathing: Sixth Form - Whirlpool.
A magnificent waterspout, like a high-powered blender, shredded the Hand Demon's arms, scattering them across the ground.
Sabito stepped onto one of the severed limbs and leapt even higher.
"No, no, NO!"
"Die, DIE, DIE!"
"Damn you, Urokodaki! Damn those fox masks! I can't die yet!"
The Hand Demon roared in desperation, frantically fleeing while lashing out at Sabito—but it was futile.
Sabito landed like an unstoppable flood, advancing fearlessly through the rain of blood.
Under the glow of the Full Moon, the silhouettes of eleven young boys and girls, all wielding Nichirin Blades, appeared behind Sabito—each the same age as him.
Eleven blades overlapped one by one, until all eleven merged with Sabito's own.
Water Breathing: Tenth Form - Constant Flux.
Including Sabito's own strike, the Constant Flux spiraled to its twelfth rotation.
Carrying the will of his fallen comrades, he severed the Hand Demon's neck, and its mountainous, bloated body collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Sabito had avenged them.
He quickly leapt forward, gathering the mementos of his fallen comrades and cradling them like treasures.
At that moment, his heart was at peace—the curse of Urokodaki's lineage had finally been broken.
"Urokodaki, I HATE you!"
"Urokodaki, I HATE you!"
"Urokodaki…"
Amidst the Hand Demon's endless hatred, it crumbled into ashes, scattering with the wind.
With the battle over, Sabito rushed to Giyu, only to find the guy had simply fallen asleep. Relieved, he carefully wrapped the eleven bloodstained, broken masks in his haori—it was time to take them home.
Once everything was settled, Sabito bowed deeply to Tendo, grateful for his immense help.
"Tendo, if you ever need anything, I'll move heaven and earth for you!" Sabito declared bluntly, ready to go through fire and water for him.
"Whoa, whoa, no need for that! We're brothers—it's what I should do!" Tendo waved his hands frantically, uncomfortable with the formality.
Hearing this, Sabito smiled warmly. "I'm glad to have a friend like you."
"Come visit Sagiri Mountain anytime!"
He extended his hand, and Tendo clasped it without hesitation.Friendship between men is just that simple.
"Oh, right!" Sabito released Tendo's hand and took off his Disaster Averting Fox Mask, hanging it on the side of Tendo's head. "Tendo, this mask was personally carved for me by our master. I'm giving it to you now, hehehe!"
Tendo's mouth twitched. It might be called a Disaster Averting Fox Mask now, but in the past it had been nothing but a disaster magnet.
Since there were two injured people present, Tendo and the others lit a campfire on the spot and began chewing on their rock-hard rations.
"Ahhhh!"
"I really want to eat meat!"
"These rations aren't filling at all!" Tendo cried out in agony. He was eating Murata's rations now, having already finished his own.
"Tendo, didn't you eat most of a pig just the day before yesterday?" Sabito handed over the rations from his pack, looking puzzled.
"Do you know why Obanai calls me a glutton every single day?" Tendo's eyes gleamed as he looked at the rations Sabito offered.
Sabito tilted his head in confusion. Wasn't "glutton" an insult?
Why did Tendo sound so proud of it?
"Brother Tendo, if it's not enough, I have more here!" Murata's eyes sparkled with admiration as he offered his own pack, which still contained some wild berries he had gathered.
"You two are such good people, I'm so touched, wuwuwu! ???????????"
To Tendo in his starved state, anyone with food was a good person.
After eating, Tendo volunteered to take the night watch, while the other two exhausted fellows quickly fell asleep.
In the middle of the night, Tendo suddenly felt the urgent call of nature and hurriedly rushed into the bushes.
"Ahhh~"
"So refreshing~"
Only those who've been desperately holding it in can understand the relief and comfort of finally letting go.
Just as he was mid-stream, two eerie words floated to his ears.
"Thank you!"
Tendo turned his head mechanically, his face frozen in horror.
"Giyu, I'm peeing here! (′-ι_-｀)"
"My apologies. I thought you were admiring the scenery." Giyu's face remained expressionless, his tone completely flat.
Tendo stared blankly at the pitch-black forest before him. Never in his life had he been so utterly speechless.
Who in their right mind would stand in bushes admiring complete darkness in the middle of the night!
Giyu's thought process... sigh!
"Hey, why aren't you leaving? I'm still peeing here!"
"Oh!"
"I wanted to thank you for your blood. Though it tasted a bit strange—are you sick?"
Giyu walked unhurriedly back toward the campfire, leaving Tendo alone to flounder in bewildered silence.
I can't believe it... Am I sick?!
What is going on here?! (?｀⊿′)?
Don't get angry, don't get angry, Giyu is a good boy.
Calm down, Tendo sat down next to Giyu.
"Thank you!" Giyu said for the third time. He noticed that Tendo hadn't responded, so he felt he wasn't being sincere enough.
Tendo waved his hand and said, "I got it!"
"Let's talk!"
"Sure!" Giyu nodded. In Tendo's eyes, Giyu was silently promoted to a super nice person. To him, anyone who actively talked to him was a good person, especially someone who had saved him.
"I know that standing up for friends is what a real man does, but you can't forget to cherish your own life!"
"I don't care; Sabito is stronger than me. He would achieve more if he were alive!"
"Besides, someone like me..." Giyu paused mid-sentence. He didn't continue with "someone like me should just die."
Because Sabito had slapped him for saying such discouraging things and had threatened to cut ties with him if he ever said it again.
"Do you want to hear about my story? I was born without even parents..."
Before Tendo could continue, Giyu's calm voice interrupted.
"My condolences!"
Tendo: "???"
He felt that before he could console Giyu, he might die from frustration first.