The reason why Tanjiro was captured so easily by Kokushibo, without even being able to put up a decent resistance, is actually very simple, and it also made him feel extremely frustrated.
Because just outside that dead-end alley, separated by only one wall, lies Asakusa's bustling commercial street, where thousands of ordinary citizens and dozens of Tokyo police officers were crammed outside the alley entrance!
Tanjiro only knows one technique, the Sun Breathing, from beginning to end!
Especially after activating his demonic transformation state, once the crimson Heat Haze attached to his blade erupt, they generate terrifyingly high temperatures that can melt even steel and concrete dozens of meters away!
If Tanjiro were to activate his demon form and fight Kokushibo in order to protect himself, the aftershocks from their battle would definitely burn hundreds or thousands of innocent civilians to ashes!
In order not to harm the innocent, Tanjiro, who was kind to the core, drew his sword and fought in his basic human form. As a result, he was defeated in three moves by Upper Rank One, who had lived for more than 400 years, and was captured and taken to the Infinity Castle!
However, the intense pain brought Tanjiro back to full consciousness.
He took a deep breath of the surrounding air with his incredibly sensitive nose and looked around the vast and magnificent hall.
No!
Within a radius of several miles, there wasn't a trace of human scent!
The air was thick with the nauseating Demon Aura, and beneath my feet lay a building that belonged entirely to the enemy!
The moment he confirmed this, Tanjiro Kamado's initial hesitation and restraint vanished completely in an instant!
"Great... there isn't a single ordinary person here!"
Tanjiro gripped the hilt of his sword and shouted:
"Even if we demolish this entire hall and burn it to lava, we don't have to worry about hurting anyone!"
At the other end of the main hall...
Kokushibo has stopped in his tracks.
His right hand gripped the hilt of the flesh-shaped knife covered in eerie eyeballs at his waist. He slowly drew out the long, strange demonic blade, "The Kokyū Shinku," and pointed it diagonally at the ground.
Kokushibo's six emotionless eyes were fixed on Tanjiro, and his hoarse voice echoed in the empty hall:
"To protect those mortals as weak as ants, he forcibly suppressed the demonic blood within him, even preferring to be knocked unconscious by my blade rather than unleash it."
"What foolish and laughable kindness... In this respect, it's exactly like that man who disgusted me four hundred years ago."
Kokushibo flicked his wrist, and the dozen or so eyeballs on the blade of the Kokyū Shinku simultaneously rolled, staring intently at Tanjiro:
"But now, this is the adult's Infinity Castle, and within a radius of ten miles, there are only the two of us."
"Unleash all your hidden talents, successor who wears Yoriichi's earring!"
"If your skill level is only that amateurish, like what you did in the alley, then with the next cut, I'll slice off all four of your limbs and throw you in front of the adults."
Feeling the overwhelming sword pressure emanating from Kokushibo, which was more than ten times more terrifying than the enhanced version of Mount Fujikasane.
Tanjiro gripped his Nichirin Blade tightly with both hands, a bead of cold sweat trickling down his forehead, his mind crystal clear.
He knew perfectly well that the six-eyed swordsman before him was the strongest being under Muzan Kibutsuji's command... Upper Rank One!
Facing an old monster of this caliber, without activating Demon Transformation, I definitely wouldn't survive more than ten seconds!
Without the slightest hesitation, Tanjiro closed his eyes, and a wisp of his mind sank into his Sea of Consciousness!
As soon as Tanjiro entered his Sea of Consciousness, he saw that the Demon Consciousness, which usually sat with its legs crossed watching the show, was now staring intently at the scene outside with a serious expression.
"Another me!"
Tanjiro got straight to the point, without any unnecessary words!
"You saw your opponent outside, it's Upper Rank One Kokushibo! In my current state, I absolutely cannot defeat him, even 5% of my power is far from enough! Tell me, what is the maximum amount of power I can borrow from you right now?!"
Upon hearing the question from its true form, the Demon Consciousness abandoned its usual playful demeanor, solemnly extending a hand and slowly raising four fingers:
"At most forty percent!"
The Demon Consciousness stared at Tanjiro, its tone more serious than ever before:
"Furthermore, even with this 40% power, your sustained combat time absolutely cannot exceed half an hour!!"
"If you haven't broken free of your demonic state within thirty minutes, your brain will completely collapse, and even I won't be able to suppress the bloodlust within this power!"
"Your self-awareness risks being eroded and swallowed up, turning you into a madman who only knows how to kill! Do you understand?!"
Half an hour!
40%!
To be honest, if he had a choice, Tanjiro would never want to use the demonic power within him.
Just as Mr. Giyu had warned him, the power of the demon was a double-edged sword. While granting him great power, it also constantly tested his humanity on the edge of a precipice.
But look outside at Upper Rank One, wielding a demonic sword and radiating murderous intent!
He has now been captured and imprisoned in the enemy's stronghold, Infinity Castle, with nowhere left to retreat!
If he didn't use this double-edged sword, he would have died right here today!
Since things have come to this, we can only take it one step at a time!
"I understand! Half an hour is enough!"
Tanjiro's eyes were filled with unwavering determination as he clasped his hands in a deep fist salute to the demon before him.
"Come! Lend me your power!!"
"Fine! You asked for this yourself! Grit your teeth and hold on, don't disgrace the Kamado family!!"
"Boom--!"
Within his Sea of Consciousness, it was as if a volcano that had been suppressed for ten thousand years had suddenly erupted!
A torrent of primordial energy, more than eight times larger than what it was at Mount Fujikasane, poured into Tanjiro's body without reservation!
In the real world, inside the empty martial arts training hall.
Click.
Tanjiro Kamado, who had been standing still with his head down, suddenly had a series of cracking sounds from his bones, like popping beans!
"Sizzle--!"
Scalding white steam billowed from every pore of his body!
The knife wound on his left shoulder inflicted by Kokushibo was perfectly healed in an instant, leaving not even a scar!
Immediately afterwards,
A terrifying anomaly, causing dozens of dragon-carved wooden pillars in the martial arts hall to tremble violently and crack, unfolded over Tanjiro's body!
"Sizzle--!"
The flame scar on Tanjiro's forehead rapidly spread outwards, transforming in the blink of an eye into dark red demonic markings covering the left half of his face!
At the same time,
On either side of his smooth forehead, two prominent, demonic horns pierced through his skin and grew out!
His fingernails instantly transformed into sharp, dark red claws!
"Zheng--!"
In an instant, the entire Nichirin Blade transformed into a dazzling Red Nichirin Blade, with a burst of blood-red Heat Haze shooting skyward from its body!
With the release of this demonic power, Tanjiro Kamado's aura surged like a rocket!
The Lower Rank, the Upper Rank Six, the Upper Rank Four, the Upper Rank Three, the Upper Rank Two...
As Tanjiro slowly raised his head, revealing a pair of vertical pupils burning with golden flames, the overwhelming pressure emanating from him rivaled the terrifying level of [Upper Rank One - Kokushibo] opposite him!!
"Boom--!"
A raging crimson Heat Haze erupted from Tanjiro's center, instantly melting the floor within a hundred meters of his feet!