Akaza

Asakusa, outskirts.

Kujo Tachibana turned abruptly, waiting quietly for his opponent tonight.

Kokushibo and Akaza did not keep Kujo Tachibana waiting long, arriving at the spot just moments later.

Kokushibo, with his six eyes and the appearance of a "Sword Saint," wore his long, deep-red hair in a high ponytail, with the crimson, flame-shaped mark he had awakened during his human days still visible on the left side of his forehead and the right side of his neck.

With his arms crossed over his chest, Kokushibo looked at Kujo Tachibana and said indifferently:

"Human swordsman, I am Kokushibo, Upper Moon One of the Twelve Kizuki!"

"You ran quite fast; I thought you were going to flee."

Kujo Tachibana sneered, mocking him:

"Flee? Heh... as a swordsman, turning one's back to an enemy is the greatest shame!"

"If I am to die, then so be it. Why should I fear!"

"Kokushibo, enough talk. Draw your sword!"

The corners of Kokushibo's mouth curled slightly upward; he was beginning to appreciate this human swordsman.

"You want me to draw my sword?"

"Then let me see if you have the qualifications!"

"Your opponent for now is him!"

Kokushibo extended his arm straight, pointing to the side at Akaza, who had remained silent.

"Whether I have the qualifications or not, you will see soon enough!" Kujo Tachibana tilted his head to look at Akaza.

With short, peach-colored hair, golden eyes, pale skin, blood-red fingernails, and a body covered in countless deep blue tattoos representing a criminal, he was a sight to behold.

Dressed in a magenta short-sleeved jacket with prayer beads around his ankles—what kind of outfit was that?

Akaza steadied his shoulder with one hand, twisted his arm, and stepped forward to activate his Blood Demon Art.

Instantly, a snowflake-shaped formation spread across the ground.

Eyes filled with excitement, Akaza looked at Kujo Tachibana and said:

"Human swordsman, my name is Akaza. Do you know how long I have been looking for you?"

"Among the weak humans, it is rare to find an existence as powerful as you."

"Oh, is that so?" Kujo Tachibana smiled faintly.

"Yes, you are very strong. I can tell at a glance..."

As he spoke, Akaza stopped abruptly!

"Hm! How is this possible!"

Akaza exclaimed in shock. His Blood Demon Art, Destructive Death: Compass, could not sense a shred of fighting spirit from this human swordsman!

Speaking of fighting spirit, one must mention Akaza's unique Blood Demon Art.

Before transforming into a "demon," Akaza was a martial artist of extremely profound skill.

How profound, exactly?

During his human days, he beat sixty-seven people to death with his bare hands to take revenge on a neighboring dojo!

Because of this, he caught the eye of Kibutsuji Muzan and was transformed into a demon.

After becoming a demon, although Akaza lost his memories, his body did not forget the martial arts techniques he had once practiced.

Using these techniques, Akaza fought against successive generations of "Hashira" from the Demon Slayer Corps.

From this, he cultivated an incredibly powerful fighting spirit!

Based on his own fighting spirit, Akaza developed ten unique Blood Demon Arts.

Among them, Destructive Death: Compass is the core of Akaza's Blood Demon Art!

Destructive Death: Compass:

It senses the opponent's fighting spirit like a compass, making one's own attacks and evasions as precise as if drawn by a magnet.

When activated, a twelve-pointed snowflake formation appears beneath the user's feet, known as "Technique Deployment."

(The shape of the snowflake formation is derived from the hair ornament of his late fiancée, Koyuki.)

The stronger the opponent's fighting spirit, the stronger the compass's reaction, and the higher the corresponding intensity and precision.

However, for opponents with no fighting spirit or those who hide it (Transparent World), the compass cannot sense them.

This was the case with Kujo Tachibana; Akaza was completely unable to sense Kujo Tachibana's fighting spirit!

But how could such a powerful swordsman have no fighting spirit?

This situation could only mean one thing: this swordsman!

He had also reached that realm, the realm he had been pursuing day and night—the Supreme Territory: Transparent World!

At the thought of being able to battle a powerhouse who had reached such a realm, Akaza's body began to tremble with excitement...

After becoming a demon, Akaza lost his memories, leaving behind only an obsession with becoming stronger and pursuing the supreme realm!

This was also one of the reasons why Akaza absolutely loathed Doma!

In order to become stronger, Akaza only enjoyed battling the strong, while holding the weak in contempt, even feeling extreme disgust toward them!

However, as a demon, Akaza adhered to a code of the strong, never killing or eating women, only choosing to consume humans when driven by extreme hunger.

By comparison, he and Upper Moon Two Doma, who only loved to eat women, were two extremes, which was why their relationship was so hostile.

Watching Akaza's slightly trembling body, Kokushibo's six eyes furrowed simultaneously!

What kind of madness is this guy going through?

Watching Akaza, who had yet to make a move, Kujo Tachibana scratched his head; he had roughly guessed the thoughts of this "martial arts fanatic"!

After a moment of thought, Kujo Tachibana placed his right hand on the hilt of his Nichirin Sword.

If this guy Akaza continued to space out, what would greet him!

Would be Thunderclap and Flash!

The moment Kujo Tachibana placed his hand on the hilt, Akaza instantly felt a sense of oppression akin to facing death!

If he didn't act now, he would likely die!

The Akaza who had been trembling a moment ago suddenly lunged toward Kujo Tachibana!

"Destructive Death: Annihilation Type!"

He arrived right in front of Kujo Tachibana.

Akaza raised his right fist, pulling it back level with his shoulder!

His upper body leaned forward, his legs positioned one in front of the other, toes curled and gripping the ground tightly, just like a powerful bow!

Using his body as the bow, his fist as the arrow!

Akaza shot a punch toward Kujo Tachibana!

Kujo Tachibana watched the astonishingly powerful punch before him calmly.

Tachibana's assessment: The body control is decent, most of the muscle power has been mobilized, but what a pity!

If you can't hit your target, no matter how great the power, it's all for nothing.

The time Akaza spent controlling his muscles was far too long!

Tachibana could also throw a punch like this, and could even do it better than Akaza.

Not only could he perfectly mobilize the power of his entire body's muscles, but the process of generating force didn't need to be so cumbersome; it could all be completed within his body!

Without moving a muscle on the surface of his body, Kujo Tachibana could complete the charge internally!

This was the Transparent World!

"Inhale..."

Air was instantly drawn in, and his lungs were immediately filled.

Controlling the full dilation of the blood vessels within his body, he rapidly separated the oxygen from the air to enter his bloodstream, the oxygen merging with the red blood cells at high speed...

A golden flow of light originated from his lungs, spreading throughout his entire body via his blood vessels in an instant.

Simultaneously controlling his muscle fibers, he distributed this surging power evenly across his entire body!

In a flash!

Electricity overflowed, and thunder began to rise!

Dazzling lightning covered Kujo Tachibana's body!

"Thunder Breathing: Third Form - Gathering Mosquitoes Thunder Modified!"