Muzan Kibutsuji's expression was dark; Kagaya Ubuyashiki's words had truly hit a sore spot.
Yes, Sun Breathing.
The demon, who had lived for hundreds of years, finally decided that the first thing to eliminate was the shadow of that man.
Failing to find Nezuko was a pity, but it just meant going back to searching for the Blue Spider Lily.
Failing to find Ubuyashiki was troublesome, but the centuries of slaughter had never truly threatened him.
Failing to find Tamayo was annoying, but someone like her was not qualified to pose a threat to him.
Only Suzuki Makoto, only this man who could use Sun Breathing, only this Demon Slayer Corps swordsman who could kill Upper Rank Two, had to be killed no matter what!
Because as long as he lived, Muzan Kibutsuji's heart would know no peace!
In all these long years, the only person who had ever made Muzan Kibutsuji feel the threat of imminent death was Yoriichi Tsugikuni. As for the others, be it Ubuyashiki or Tamayo, they were insignificant.
Now, a man so similar to Yoriichi Tsugikuni had appeared once again. He had even recreated Sun Breathing, centuries after Muzan himself had completely eradicated its lineage.
Muzan Kibutsuji felt as if he had thorns on his back and a fishbone in his throat. That ever-present threat of death made him—
"What are you looking at?"
He stared coldly at Suzuki Makoto.
The man revealed a smile, and the threatening aura that had made even Muzan Kibutsuji feel extremely uncomfortable instantly dissipated. This allowed him to breathe a small sigh of relief, but he immediately realized this was no time for conversation.
"Attack!"
"Destructive Death: Final Form: Blue Silver Chaotic Afterglow!"
"Moon Breathing, Sixteenth Form: Moonbow - Half Moon!"
Kokushibo and Akaza attacked simultaneously in an instant. They heeded Muzan Kibutsuji's command, unleashing their most direct techniques from the start. Kokushibo didn't even care if he might injure Akaza.
But Suzuki Makoto simply took a step forward, shielding the Ubuyashiki family behind him.
"Water Breathing, Eleventh Form: Lull."
The wind and waves calmed.
Muzan Kibutsuji's pupils contracted sharply. The once confident Demon King had no time to issue another command before eight black, thorny whips extended from his back and struck at Suzuki Makoto—only to shatter into countless pieces, completely powerless.
Suzuki Makoto looked at Kokushibo, a smile of interest on his face, then turned his head to look at Akaza.
"Fist techniques? Perhaps a little interesting, but I have no use for them, so I won't bother watching."
"What nonsense are you spouting—"
Akaza's blood gushed from his throat before he could finish his sentence.
Suzuki Makoto deftly dodged Kokushibo's Hollow-Wailing, Divine Demise. In the next instant, he had already reappeared in front of the Ubuyashiki family, slicing apart the new whips Muzan Kibutsuji sent flying at him.
Can't see it.
Can't see it!
Kokushibo's six eyes darted about rapidly, but he could only watch helplessly as Akaza's body began to turn to ash.
After hundreds of years, a second swordsman whose movements he couldn't follow had appeared, and he was even using the same Sun Breathing.
"Kokushibo! What are you doing?! Attack the Ubuyashiki family with all your might—that guy has to protect his master!"
Muzan Kibutsuji's voice was as shrill as a demon's—oh wait, he was a demon.
Kokushibo snapped back to reality and immediately swung his blade, pushing his Moon Breathing techniques to their absolute limit, coordinating with Muzan Kibutsuji to try and suppress Suzuki Makoto.
However, his efforts only served to hasten his own demise.
"Just now, you used your sixteenth different technique."
"So what!"
Kokushibo roared in the heat of battle. It was the first time in so many years he had fought with all his strength, so much so that he didn't immediately grasp the meaning.
"It means that your moonlight is beginning to bore me."
Before Suzuki Makoto's voice faded, Kokushibo's body, along with his sword, had already shattered into pieces and fallen to the ground.
The scene fell into an eerie silence for a moment. Muzan Kibutsuji retracted all his whips.
"Nakime!!!"
A door suddenly opened, and Muzan Kibutsuji began to fall through it, but Suzuki Makoto just gave a cold smirk.
"You're the first person who's dared to use the same trick on me three times."
He swung his sword. Muzan Kibutsuji immediately focused on defending himself with all his might, but felt no damage. Instead, it was Nakime, who was about to command the demon army to besiege the Demon Slayer Corps, who let out a piercing scream.
In that instant, all the strings on the biwa in her hands snapped. A terrifying scar appeared on the massive single eye previously hidden by her long hair, and blood instantly painted the floor several meters in front of her a layer of crimson.
Suzuki Makoto admitted he couldn't learn his master's spatial slash, but that was because the monsters controlling the space his master had to cut were beings that the Suzuki Makoto of that time couldn't even look at—but who the hell was Nakime?
Although his technique was just a crude imitation of Ida Kojuro, it was an imitation of Ida Kojuro nonetheless.
The entire Infinity Castle had begun to crumble. Nakime, using the last of her strength, spat everything out of the Infinity Castle and then frantically tried to repair the collapsing space.
But just as she was the only one left in that space, the biwa in her hands instantly shattered.
"Eh?"
Before Nakime could react, she too was expelled from her own Blood Demon Art, falling right in front of Suzuki Makoto.
The man didn't even glance down at her. His Nichirin Blade swept lightly past, and the newly appointed Upper Rank Four instantly dissipated in the wind.
Now, all the demons and all the humans came crashing down here. Only a few people and demons reacted quickly enough to immediately adjust their posture and prepare for a new battle.
However, these reactions no longer mattered.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
A monstrous sea of blood erupted in an instant. The countless demons, piled and pressed together, failed to slow the slashing blade for even a moment.
Dozens of lightning-fast flashes streaked by. After landing, Suzuki Makoto simply lifted his knees a couple of times, then looked with a relaxed expression in the direction Muzan Kibutsuji had fled.
"Makoto!"
Shinobu Kocho was the first to run over. She didn't even notice the thick layer of blood and ash under her feet; her eyes were only on that man.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, what about you?"
"I'm fine, but Muzan Kibutsuji reacted a bit too quickly, so I still have to go after him."
Shinobu Kocho bit her lip. Her heart had never been so terrified. She had never felt Suzuki Makoto so clearly drifting farther and farther away from her, so far that even holding the corner of his clothes felt like they were worlds apart—she really wanted to be selfish and hold onto Suzuki Makoto, to tell him to wait for everyone to pursue Muzan together. There would be absolutely nothing wrong with that; even the Master would praise her composure.
But she didn't. The young woman just let go of the man's sleeve, desperately holding her tears back, and nodded lightly.
"May your fortunes in war... be great."
Suzuki Makoto smiled and brandished his sword slightly.
"When I come back—we'll get married."
____
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