Eating Us

Several figures intertwined in the space in front of the main building of the Shogunate.

The four inheritors launched a swift attack on Long.

Without hesitation!

In their view, Oboro was carrying out the will he conveyed with his life, witnessing their growth.

It was only because of the complex entanglements of her identity and background that Oboro was unable to remain unscathed.

Since they are enemies, then... this man will use his life to fuel this 'will' and give full play to the last bit of his life's energy.

If they didn't defeat Oboro, they wouldn't be able to overthrow the Shogunate and change the world, which also shows that their will was far from being able to change the world and complete their mission.

Killing Oboro was an act of respect for this lord.

Even in the hearts of those who carry on the tradition, Oboro was 'resolutely going to his death,' but not for the sake of the Shogunate.

It's for them.

This, on the contrary, greatly boosted their fighting spirit.

Little did they know, it was all part of Long's scheme.

"Hahaha!"

Long was smiling. He saw the glances that kept flashing past him, and the fluctuations in their souls.

Although they cannot compare to the seven Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps back then, they already possess the 'light of will'. How long has the Demon Slayer Corps been passed down? And these few inheritors who carry his will have only undergone a mere ten years of tempering.

There's no way to compare.

Long is already very satisfied.

"Blood Demon Art: Blood Demon Art: Dark Night Windflower".

One of the gaunt men was the first to use his skills. Surrounded by the four of them, he couldn't even harm Oboro with physical attacks alone... Despite the demon's physical strength, he couldn't gain the upper hand. Keep in mind, only a third of the original inheritors remain. The fact that they've survived the pressure from the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan's forces is proof enough of their excellence. Without exaggeration, any one of them possesses power comparable to an Upper Moon demon.

The four of them had also been in contact with the Twelve Kizuki and had some understanding of Muzan and his demons.

It seems that because they received Oboro's blood, they were not controlled by Muzan, which further enabled them to grow at a different rate than their kind... In the ten years of Purgatory environment, they also received a massive amount of nutrition.

Even so, when facing this adult, she still seemed somewhat 'powerless'.

However, this is normal.

Because in the hearts of the four, Oboro was a transcendent being.

This kind of behavior is perfectly normal.

They understand Oboro better than the Demon Slayer Corps or Muzan... because the blood in their veins contains the will contained within Oboro's cells, the will that suppresses Muzan's cells! It is thanks to this that they were able to feel the uniqueness of this will and the immense power it contains through evolution and years of growth.

This also led to their remarkable progress.

Long's two arms swung wildly, frantically trying to block the punches and kicks of the two inheritors.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Yasuhara, who had stopped fighting, activating his Blood Demon Art.

Suddenly, the night sky seemed to be splashed with a layer of thick ink, descending like a liquid curtain to form a pitch-black domain.

In an instant, he could see nothing at all.

However, he only lost his sight; it did not affect his movements at all.

Based on his experience, he could still make judgments through other senses.

Beside him, Takaya, with his white hair tied up, also unleashed his killing move the instant darkness filled his vision. Blood spurted from his arm, but instead of dispersing, it formed interwoven red threads that coalesced into the shape of a sharp blade in front of his palm, which then stabbed towards Oboro's face.

"Didn't succeed!"

The sound of wind cutting through the air whistled past, Takaya's pupils contracted.

The next second, he was struck hard in the abdomen, and his eyes widened in horror.

Generally speaking, when a person loses their sight, even with the most extreme reaction, there will still be a momentary physiological impact on their limbs.

But this person... had none of that.

This is completely contrary to common sense!

As he flew away, Takaya unleashed another Blood Demon Art, causing his white hair to swell up and shoot out like incredibly sharp steel wires.

But the sound he heard was his companion's muffled groan.

His attack missed Oboro, but instead injured his companion.

In the darkness, only Yasuhara, who was activating the Blood Demon Art, could perceive everything; the other three inheritors had also lost their sight.

In this situation, Oboro's combat strength did not seem to decrease; on the contrary, the three of them were weakened.

In less than a minute, several loud explosions came from inside the black tent.

Yasuhara looked horrified.

He 'saw' Oboro grabbing Ueno's head and, like throwing a stone, hurling the latter into the ground floor of the Shogunate Building, smashing the walls and furnishings inside to pieces.

Using his Blood Demon Art, Teshimaga made the ground surge like water, burrowing underground as if swimming and disappearing. He had just peeked out from behind Oboro, with only half his head showing, when the latter stomped on him with a powerful kick, instantly blasting him deep into the soil.

That's too strong... really too strong.

This is not the same kind of life form as them at all.

Although I had sensed a trace of power in the cells of my body before, it was nowhere near as direct as this.

So much time has passed, and the battles with the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan's side have made the four of them no longer naive novices. They have rich combat experience and their own judgment of the situation.

The scene unfolding before him filled Yasuhara with an unwavering conviction.

You'll die!

They will all die! They... cannot win against this great man.

His eyelids twitched violently, and his once firm belief wavered in an instant.

There was even an urge to run away.

Vanished! Suddenly, Yasuhara's hair stood on end, and in his eyes that could part the darkness, the figure of Oboro was gone.

"What? Are you scared?"

Oboro's voice echoed in my ears.

He flashed behind the inheritor.

"If that's all there is to it, I can't help but feel a little disappointed... How can someone with such an easily swayed mindset and beliefs talk about changing the world or overthrowing the Shogunate?"

It should be noted that when he killed Lei Zhu, none of the remaining six Shiwei backed down.

On the contrary, their fighting spirit soared.

Oboro's words were like a sharp sword, piercing Yasuhara's heart.

The look of fear on his face vanished instantly.

"Been taught a lesson."

Yasuhara responded with a single sentence.

Then, his entire body instantly inflated like a balloon, becoming incredibly tall.

Its body shape was also deformed; it was completely a non-human monster.

When Oboro's hand gently sliced open his skin, what he saw was not flesh and blood, but a liquid flowing like ink.

Bang! Instantly, the gushing black liquid exploded and splashed everywhere.

Oboro lifted her haori and held it in front of her.

However, the liquid that dripped onto the ground corroded the surface.

On the other side, Yasuhara, who took advantage of the situation to break away, was left with only a tattered piece of skin, but he regenerated his body with astonishing resilience.

Before Long could give chase, a streak of light shot out like an arrow from within the dilapidated building in the distance.

It was Ueno, who had been knocked away earlier.

They... did not give up! Their will to kill Oboro with blood grew even stronger.

Long noticed this and a smile appeared on his lips.

That's how it should be...

The battle continued, and upstairs, Chiyoko continued playing her shamisen.

The only difference was that the melody had a more uneven, harsh, and tragic feel to it.

One hour later.

The area in front of the Shogunate Building was in complete disarray.

The power of several Blood Demon Art also disappeared one after another.

In the end... we still couldn't win.

The four inheritors were beaten black and blue, looking utterly disheveled.

Some lay in deep pits, others had half their bodies embedded in the walls... all bleeding profusely.

Even the body's powerful regenerative abilities seem to be ineffective.

Oboro used some of the methods he had used to deal with Kokushibo.

He was the only one standing in the arena.

He wore a white undershirt and wooden clogs, his face expressionless. "Although I feel a little heartache about killing you, I will not hesitate... because at this moment, you and I are enemies."

He emphasized this.

"Today's battle was not expected, and we were completely unprepared."

"However, it has also made us understand some things... Back then, it was you who gave us 'the hope and mission of rebirth' and bestowed upon us strength. The growth over the years has further strengthened our will. We will not fail to live up to the inheritance and continuation of this will. Although we will die, before that, we have already passed on our will to other more outstanding candidates."

Large shards of gravel scattered as Teshimaga, who had stepped into the wall, smiled with blood on his lips before his upper body fell to the ground.

It seems that even without encountering Oboro, this raid on Edo Castle was not as simple as they had anticipated.

They will definitely have a bloody battle with the Demon Slayer Corps, and there is a possibility of failure and death.

Therefore, they had already made preparations before they arrived.

"We may not be able to save this deformed world, but someone will succeed... Your expectations, sir, will one day be fulfilled."

"It's not just my expectation, it's our shared vision."

He sighed.

"Only those with a strong enough will can save this world and create new life... You might be able to do it, but I guess that since something like this happened today, it means you must have some untold difficulties, perhaps due to ties or blood ties... forcing you to make concessions, who knows."

Teshimaga spoke, he crawled over to Yasuhara's side. "You have your reasons, and we have no right to interfere... However, the fact that we accepted your conversion back then means that we believe in this will! As you said, will is always the most important thing."

"Therefore, even you, a person we deeply respect... will never back down when it comes to carrying out this will."

"We... don't want to disappoint you."

Oboro's eyes darted around as he noticed Teshimaga using words to attract his attention.

The other two also took the opportunity at the same time to approach Yasuhara.

"Because of that predicament, the adult was seeking death, wasn't he?"

"To find liberation, one must crown one's will with one's life..."

Another successor Takaya, Chaolong smiled slightly.

He had clearly misunderstood something.

He felt that Oboro was bound by certain ties, preventing him from opposing the Shogunate, yet he was forced to fulfill his responsibilities as a member of the Shogunate... Oboro also wanted to save the world. After all, he was the origin of the will, but he was forced to bow his head by reality.

He wanted to choose a true 'savior,' a 'seed' who could kill him, prove the value of this will and self, and possess the ability to reshape the world.

From this perspective, Oboro was actually contributing to this will, albeit in his own way.

Therefore, they still hold great respect for the elders in their hearts.

Because of respect, one must also harbor an absolute intent to kill.

Otherwise, it would be a defilement of Oboro.

Long opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat, and she didn't explain.

His influence on these successors was immense.

Their previous words and actions were also intended to mislead the thinking of these people.

Therefore, it's normal for these four people to think this way.

"But... we haven't lost yet."

Suddenly, Takaya changed the subject.

The three people, except for Yasuhara, seemed to be of one mind and looked at their companion who was the least injured at the same time.

He said something that made Long's pupils dilate and her heart skip a beat.

"Eat us!"

These four simple words are full of Resolve and strength.

At this moment, Oboro's heart was filled with intense joy and an unprecedented feeling.

In these four people, he vaguely saw the shadows of the seven Shiwei from back then.

Unlike the Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps, theirs is the inherited will of others.

What is happening before our eyes now is the successor he himself sowed and nurtured.

These two sides are fundamentally different! This... is absolutely wonderful!