Sun Flame Snow

The power and coverage of this move were even more terrifying than Sun Breathing.

This was simply not a slash that a human could perform.

Did he integrate his Blood Demon Art into his swordsmanship?

Yuko looked at the blade in Kokushibo's hand, which had transformed into a bizarre Demon Blade at some point. Several small blades extended horizontally along the blade, resembling branches.

Although Kokushibo showed no anger at this moment, his expression was frigid.

His demeanor made Yuko laugh out loud. She tilted her head, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Are you angry?"

"I know, Kokushibo..."

"Ever since you were little, you've been jealous of Yoriichi..."

"Shut up!" A trace of anger surfaced on Kokushibo's somber face, and the blade in his hand rose uncontrollably.

"Moon Breathing: Seventh Form: Calamitous Mirror, Moon's Glint!"

Several giant purple shockwaves shot along the ground towards Yuko, interspersed with smaller shockwaves in the gaps, almost completely covering the attack range.

"Snow Breathing: Sixth Form: Blizzard of Ten Thousand Miles."

A snow-white sword wave broke through one of the shockwaves, and Yuko tilted her body at a subtle angle to avoid the other sharp edges.

Unable to match him.

This was Yuko's first impression after facing Moon Breathing directly.

Although she had been taunting Kokushibo, she couldn't deny it.

The Moon Breathing sword forms that Kokushibo created after becoming a demon, combined with his Blood Demon Art, were likely sword forms that humans could not learn.

Judging by the sheer power alone, it even surpassed the Sun Breathing used by Yoriichi.

Of course, this didn't mean he had surpassed Yoriichi; it was simply that with the boost from his Blood Demon Art, he could unleash techniques that humans couldn't.

Kokushibo narrowed his eyes. Had Yuko already mastered the Clear World technique?

With both sides possessing the Clear World, the competition essentially came down to raw stats.

Namely, speed and strength.

Setting aside the inherent differences between men and women, the enhancement of physical abilities after becoming a demon meant that his strength and speed far surpassed any human.

"Yuko, I'll ask you one last time," Kokushibo looked up. "Do you want to become a demon?"

The response was a flash of blinding white.

Yuko's figure blurred, her snow-white blade drawing a delicate snowy line in mid-air.

"Snow Breathing: Seventh Form: Snow - A Single Thread Across the Sky."

This move was a sword form where she fused Snow Breathing with Lightning Breathing, the fastest thrusting form within Snow Breathing.

However, it also made the application of the breathing technique more demanding and placed a higher burden on her lungs.

The normal use of breathing techniques was beneficial to the body, a skill that could nourish it.

But the Full Focus Breathing used in combat, and subsequent Continuous Combat, while effectively improving the swordsmen's physical condition, also caused tangible damage to their bodies.

Cold sweat beaded on Yuko's forehead as she endured the pain in her lungs, her grip on the sword tightening.

So fast!

Faster than Lightning Breathing!

Kokushibo's pupils contracted slightly. A faint stinging sensation on his neck felt like being pricked by a needle.

That was the move!

It was this move that had caused Yuko to sever his arm in an instant.

That snowy line converged into a point in Kokushibo's eyes, making him instinctively feel the urge to evade.

Yuko's sword strike indeed surprised Kokushibo for a moment, but the gap between them remained.

Kokushibo took a stance and raised his sword to block, his muscles tensing as he forcefully stopped the attack.

Clang!

With a crisp sound.

The two blades met.

The long sword in Kokushibo's hand showed signs of cracking, with several lines appearing on it.

Kokushibo was not surprised. Vast Sorrows, God Forsaken was formed from his flesh and blood, while the Nichirin Blade was specifically designed to slay demons. It was normal for it to falter against a formidable swordsman.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Yuko's forehead, and her lips began to turn pale.

In Kokushibo's Clear World vision, Yuko was already at the end of her rope.

The cracked lines on Vast Sorrows, God Forsaken quickly healed as flesh surged, and Kokushibo deflected the Nichirin Blade, unleashing a slash.

Yuko ducked and weaved, circling behind Kokushibo.

A dying struggle.

Kokushibo hadn't been using his full strength. He turned slowly, unhurriedly, only to see Yuko's mouth expelling a crimson aura, her blade also wreathed in scarlet flames.

Sun Breathing?

Was she planning to go all out?

Kokushibo knew very well that Yuko couldn't perfectly utilize Sun Breathing.

And when it came to understanding Sun Breathing, if he claimed second place, only Muzan would dare claim first.

This starting stance, it's the sixth form of...

Huh?

As Kokushibo was about to raise his sword to counter the move, his pupils suddenly constricted.

It's not Sun Breathing!

Mixed within the crimson breath Yuko exhaled was a snowy white color.

On the snow-white blade, red and white flames burned fiercely.

"Snow Breathing, Ninth Form: Sun Flame Snow!"

Yuko gritted her teeth, forcing herself to concentrate. Just a little longer... my body.

Her Nichirin Blade carved a brilliant arc of red and white flames through the air.

Not good!

The starting stance of this technique was almost identical to the sixth form of Sun Breathing. His understanding of Sun Breathing had led Kokushibo to make a preemptive assumption, misjudging Yuko's attack.

By the time Kokushibo reacted, the scorching blade was already close to his neck.

At this angle, he couldn't dodge!

In a rush, Kokushibo could only raise his sword to his side, his hands forming a cross to firmly block the long blade.

Clang!

ROAR!!!

The furiously burning flames severed Kokushibo's long sword. Veins bulged on his hands, his arm muscles tensing in an attempt to slow the blade's speed.

It's fine!

Yuko was at the end of her rope. Her strength wouldn't last. As long as he concentrated on regenerating his flesh and blood, his opponent would be the one to give out first!

But just as he intended to mobilize his energy to accelerate his arm's regeneration, he noticed that the regeneration was once again being slowed... no, not slowed, it was almost completely halted.

Kokushibo suddenly thought of something and looked at the glowing red blade in Yuko's hand in shock.

A Scarlet Blade!

With her physical condition?!

The awakening of the Clear World could be described as exceptional talent, and the Markings could be achieved by surpassing the limits of life and death.

But a Scarlet Blade, lacking grip strength, meant you couldn't wield it.

Even he, Kokushibo, only mastered the Scarlet Blade after awakening his Markings.

Although this technique had been abandoned long ago after he became a demon, it couldn't be denied.

The Scarlet Blade was absolutely not an ability that could be mastered through talent!

It required strict physical conditions!

What Kokushibo couldn't comprehend was the power of the human will to turn the impossible into the possible.

Even a dying body could unleash power beyond its limits in an instant.

Kokushibo's arms were being sliced away bit by bit, and a burning pain spread across his neck.

Kokushibo looked at Yuko with eyes full of rage and panic.

Why!

Why, whether it was Yoriichi or Yuko...

He abandoned his wife and children, even his human identity, so why was it still...

Yuko could no longer answer the confusion in Kokushibo's eyes. Every cell in her body was taut, her mind stretched as thin as a thousand strands of hair; any stray thought would cause it to unravel.

This small, frail figure, in a daze, overlapped with another figure.

No!

He couldn't die yet!

He hadn't surpassed Yoriichi yet!

Kokushibo could only watch helplessly as his neck was gradually sliced away. The anxiety of awaiting defeat made him suffer immensely.

Just as two-thirds of Kokushibo's neck had been severed, and he was on the verge of being decapitated.

Yuko, whose mind was as taut as a thread, suddenly changed expression. The strain on her lungs from over-exerting herself caused the thread maintaining her mental strength to snap.

"Gak..." Yuko instantly lost all strength and collapsed to the ground, spewing large amounts of blood from her mouth, as if her very organs were about to be expelled.