Mo Wu's long blade flashed through the air, and the arms the Hand Demon launched at him were severed in an instant.
Tap.
Stepping onto one of the severed arms, Mo Wu shot forward like a cannonball straight toward the Hand Demon.
"Unforgivable! Unforgivable!"
Roaring madly, the Hand Demon swung one of its massive arms, trying to swat Mo Wu out of the air. But Mo Wu was simply too fast—so fast that even the Hand Demon felt dazzled.
Twisting slightly in midair, Mo Wu narrowly avoided the incoming blow. Then he rotated his waist and drove his blade out, cleaving straight through another enormous arm that had been slamming toward him.
Slash!
Under the scorching blade, one of the Hand Demon's arms was cut clean off and crashed to the ground.
"AAAAAAAH!"
"Hot! Hot! Hot!"
All the arms covering its body began clawing wildly at it, splattering blood everywhere across the ground.
Bulging veins rose around the Hand Demon's eyes. Its bloodshot eyeballs swelled from fury, and its body began to expand. The muscles in its countless arms all swelled grotesquely, and its height increased by four or five meters. Its original lump-like body became visibly more solid and powerful.
"Damn it, damn it! Why do all of you keep getting in my way?!"
Three or four more arms sprouted from its side. With a violent motion, the Hand Demon plunged them deep into the ground.
Boom!
A deafening rumble erupted from below its huge hands. The Hand Demon tore up three or four massive chunks of earth from the ground, leaving behind equally massive craters where they had been ripped out.
"You and Urokodaki both deserve to die!"
"I'll tear you to pieces—and then your family, your friends! Even that little Urokodaki brat over there and that blond brat—I'll eat them all! Tear them apart! AAAAAAH!"
Mo Wu leaped twice in quick succession to avoid the first two giant chunks of earth the Hand Demon hurled at him. His expression darkened.
The Hand Demon's strength was completely different from what it had been in the original story.
And—
Glancing slightly to the side, Mo Wu looked at Zenitsu Agatsuma, who was quietly carrying away the unconscious boy.
A strange thought rose in his heart.
Why wasn't Tanjiro Kamado awake yet?
With one slash, Mo Wu split the final chunk of earth in half and let out a slow breath.
Had his arrival triggered some kind of butterfly effect?
"You dare lose focus while facing me? Too arrogant, too arrogant!"
"Even that pink-haired brat didn't dare act so brazenly in front of me! AAAAAAH!"
After throwing the last chunk of earth in its hands, the Hand Demon plunged all of its arms into the ground.
Boomboomboomboom!
A sound like countless drills tore through the earth from below—the noise of innumerable arms boring through the soil.
Knowing this move well, Mo Wu had already prepared for it. His body immediately leaped backward, flames faintly flickering along his blade.
"Fifth Form: Solar Heat Haze."
Without the slightest hesitation, Mo Wu exhaled hot breath as his Nichirin Blade carved out a crimson crescent and slashed directly toward the mass of arms bursting from the ground and charging at him.
The Hand Demon was horrified.
In that crimson slash, it saw a fatal threat.
Its arms could not possibly withstand it.
At this moment, the sword in Mo Wu's hands was a blade of overwhelming dominance and absolute power.
If even the many sturdy arms bundled together couldn't stop it, then wouldn't the few arms wrapped around its neck be as fragile as tofu before that man?
Who in this place could possibly withstand him?!
Why? Why?!
I already ate that pink-haired brat and that rabbit girl!
I've eaten fifty people! I should be invincible here!
I can't die! I haven't eaten all of Urokodaki's disciples yet… I still haven't taken revenge on that damned Urokodaki! How can I die here?!
Right… Urokodaki!
The Hand Demon quickly found Tanjiro Kamado's position and glanced at Zenitsu Agatsuma, who was carrying Tanjiro away as fast as he could.
Even if I die, I'll drag Urokodaki's disciple and that man's friend down to hell with me.
As if thinking of something, a gleeful look appeared in the Hand Demon's eyes.
"Hehehehehe…"
Its muscles bulged. Red mist wrapped around its body, and its gaze locked onto Mo Wu…
Or rather, the two people behind him.
But at this moment, Mo Wu had no idea what the Hand Demon was planning. Looking at the mountain of flesh shrouded in red mist, he frowned and focused all of his mind and body. The Nichirin Blade in his hands tightened completely, not trembling even in the slightest.
Was this going to be the final clash?
"Big bro…"
With Tanjiro Kamado on his back and two Nichirin Blades hanging from his waist, Zenitsu was fleeing the battlefield at top speed.
But hearing the violent impacts behind him, as well as the Hand Demon's deranged howls, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly began praying to every god he could think of to protect the thigh he was clinging to.
After all, if even big bro couldn't beat that demon, then there was no need to talk about him—a complete weakling—or the still-unconscious swordsman on his back. The three of them would definitely end up getting eaten.
Thinking of his grandpa, his senior brother, and the big bro currently risking his life to protect them, Zenitsu's eyes even began to redden.
After traveling with him for this long, he already understood that big bro had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
At this moment, he truly did not want anything to happen to him.
Boom!
A violent tremor shook the forest sky.
Zenitsu could even feel the earth trembling beneath his feet.
Quickly turning his head with shaking limbs, he saw Mo Wu sever several arms that had burst out of the earth with a single slash. Though still worried, Zenitsu finally let out a breath of relief.
As long as big bro was fine.
"Hiss…"
Suddenly, Zenitsu's whole body trembled, and he sucked in a sharp breath.
His steps quickened instinctively. Zenitsu had the distinct feeling that the mountain of flesh wreathed in red mist was staring at him with ill intent.
He was so focused on that terrifying sensation that he didn't even notice Tanjiro on his back slowly opening his eyes.
"What… is going on?"
His eyes were hard to open. His entire body ached.
Was I… saved by someone?
The violent shaking had awakened the unconscious Tanjiro. Looking at the blond-haired boy carrying him, and at the Nichirin Blade hanging from the boy's waist, Tanjiro felt a strange sense of reassurance and almost closed his eyes again.
No. I can't fall asleep. Sabito! Makomo! Master Urokodaki! And… Nezuko!
With a surge of willpower, Tanjiro forced himself fully awake despite the pain pounding in his head.
He still couldn't collapse.
"Please put me down. I still can't…" Tanjiro said gently to the person carrying him, wanting Zenitsu to set him down.
He had to go back and personally send the Hand Demon to the underworld.
"Hm?"
Oh no!
Tanjiro's nose twitched suddenly, and he seemed to realize something. He immediately shouted at Zenitsu,
"Watch out!!!"
Only then did Zenitsu realize the person on his back had awakened. He had just been about to turn around and explain the situation when he saw—
The giant mountain of flesh, wrapped in red mist, charging straight toward them in a frenzy.
Zenitsu's mind plunged into chaos, as if it had stopped functioning altogether. Only one thought remained in his head.
Big bro…
Did he lose too? Did he get eaten too?
His pupils shrank. Zenitsu seemed to lose his soul from fright. His legs, which had been running moments ago, suddenly stopped dead in place as he stared blankly at the Hand Demon rushing toward him, all light vanishing from his eyes.