"Whoosh—"
With howling winds raging around them, Tanjiro swung the golden whip, binding Akaza's body.
Rengoku Kyojuro seized the opportunity to step forward, slashing out with a blazing blade that instantly severed Akaza's arm.
Yet such an injury meant nothing to Akaza.
In the blink of an eye, his severed arm grew back.
Akaza roared, flexed both arms, and snapped the golden light apart. Then he unleashed a storm of fist shadows, forcing Rengoku Kyojuro back like a violent downpour.
"Ha ha ha!"
Akaza laughed wildly. As he clashed with the crimson blade, he sneered:
"Do you see it, Kyojuro?"
"This is the gap between you and me!"
As he spoke, he dodged the blade, drove his toes into the ground, twisted his waist and hips, and swung his right leg like a razor-sharp sword, its frigid air blade lashing fiercely toward Rengoku Kyojuro's head.
Destructive Death: Leg Type—Crown Splitter!
"Whoosh—"
The air tore apart with a piercing hum.
Rengoku Kyojuro's heart sank. He immediately ducked beneath the sweeping kick, then swung his blade upward, carving out a scorching, surging wheel of flame.
But Akaza was even faster. With a swing of his left fist, he knocked aside the blade aimed at his neck, then reached out with a savage grin and clawed at Kyojuro's throat.
At that critical moment, Tanjiro, wrapped head to toe in golden light, attacked from the side.
He leaped into the air, raised his blade high, and brought it down upon Akaza's spine like a plunging waterfall.
Water Breathing: Eighth Form—Waterfall Basin!
Boom!
A roar like a waterfall crashing to earth rang out. The mist-wreathed blade smashed Akaza into the ground, leaving a savage, narrow gash across his back.
Yet that attack was ultimately too weak.
Akaza braced himself against the ground with both hands,