Burning Heart

Akaza stared with wide eyes at this human swordsman who had clearly reached his limit.

Swinging his Nichirin Sword once more, he clashed with Kokushibo, refusing to fall behind!

This human was truly a monster; although Akaza had never seen Muzan exert his full power, he felt that the pinnacle of strength in this world could be no greater than this.

Watching Kujo Tachibana, who had "inexplicably" regained his vitality and entangled him for quite some time, Kokushibo began to feel weary.

Unknowingly, he had been fighting this human swordsman for nearly the entire night.

The stars and moon in the sky had already set, and the pitch-black night, devoid of any light, signaled that dawn was fast approaching.

"But why won't you die!"

"Why must you endure such pain to struggle?"

"Do you truly believe you can change anything?"

Kokushibo shouted in his heart.

He no longer wished to say anything more to this stubborn human swordsman.

Kokushibo only wanted to kill this scarred, exhausted human swordsman before the sun rose again.

As dawn approached, every second Kujo Tachibana remained alive made Kokushibo feel a suffocating sense of oppression!

"Moon Breathing, Sixth Form: Perpetual Night, Lonely Moon - Incessant!"

A massive crescent-shaped slash, carrying Kokushibo's boundless rage, struck straight toward Kujo Tachibana.

Feeling the immense power of the incoming strike, Kujo Tachibana did not waste energy trying to block it.

He merely sensed the trajectory of the attack, calculating the most energy-efficient way to dodge while weaving past the imminent blow.

At this moment, Kujo Tachibana's physical condition was not as optimistic as he appeared.

Every muscle in his body seemed to radiate exhaustion.

Even the Nichirin Sword in his hand had never felt so heavy.

Kujo Tachibana relied solely on his willpower to keep this body, which was on the verge of collapse, moving...

Almost there... almost there...

Calculating the time until sunrise, Kujo Tachibana silently counted down in his heart.

"Moon Breathing, Eighth Form: Moon-Dragon Ringtail!"

A slash over ten meters long erupted from Kokushibo's Hollow Cry Divine Departure!

The massive strike tore along the ground toward Kujo Tachibana from afar.

Looking at Kujo Tachibana, who appeared like a "corpse" in his eyes, Kokushibo could no longer control his expression, his face twisting into a hideous snarl.

"Die! Human swordsman, no one can defeat me!"

Kujo Tachibana watched the incoming slash calmly, feeling his body, which could no longer move a single inch.

His black-and-white eyes remained without a ripple.

"About five minutes until dawn... that should be enough..."

Kujo Tachibana drew all his senses inward.

Without a hint of resistance, his perception instantly pierced through his skin and entered his body.

Feeling his heart, which now seemed weak and was beating slowly, Kujo Tachibana did not hesitate for a second; he exerted all his control over the heart muscles and squeezed with all his might!

Burn the soul, break the limits!

This was a technique that would be used by the future Flame Hashira, Rengoku Kyojuro, when facing Akaza—a skill that consumed one's life force.

However, Kujo Tachibana, who had awakened the Demon Slayer Mark and was destined to die at twenty-five, was not entirely certain if his remaining nine years of life force would be enough to last until dawn.

That was why he had delayed using it until now.

The trajectory of the world has already changed because of me; I do not know if the future with my involvement will become better or worse.

But even if I die this instant, I must give my all to do something for this world!

Blue and yellow lightning erupted from Kujo Tachibana's heart, spreading throughout his entire body in an instant!

"Thump, thump..."

As his heart hammered against his ribs, the strength Kujo Tachibana had lost surged back into his body with even greater, more violent intensity!

Glaring at Kokushibo, Kujo Tachibana let out a furious roar, and the Demon Slayer Mark on his forehead and around his eyes erupted with brilliant, crackling lightning!

"Kokushibo!!"

With his Nichirin Sword once again wreathed in lightning, Kujo Tachibana swung his blade, instantly transforming it into a glowing, crimson Red Blade!

A single casual strike was enough to shatter the massive slash Kokushibo had unleashed before him!

Feeling the crushing pressure radiating from Kujo Tachibana at this moment, Kokushibo once again saw the shadow of that man within this human swordsman.

Only this time, the sensation was exceptionally intense...

As the sole spectator of this pinnacle duel, Akaza felt deeply conflicted.

The human swordsman before him had been locked in fierce combat since last night, and dawn was now approaching.

Logically, it should be impossible for a human body to sustain such high-intensity, brutal fighting for so long.

Yet, this human not only defied all conventions, but the power he unleashed time and time again only grew stronger!

To the point that he was now even suppressing Lord Kokushibo.

To be honest, Akaza did not want to disturb what he considered a sacred duel.

But watching Kokushibo take blow after blow and finding himself completely suppressed by Kujo Tachibana, Akaza began to hesitate.

After all, just last night, Lord Kokushibo had saved his life...

While Akaza was still wavering, Kujo Tachibana had already severed the right arm Kokushibo used to hold his blade!

He then turned his wrist and slashed directly at Kokushibo's neck!

Kokushibo controlled the blades protruding from his body to barely parry the strike.

At this moment, Kokushibo's expression turned incredibly grim.

How many years had it been?

Since that man died, Kokushibo had not encountered a single opponent capable of challenging him!

Until he met this human swordsman last night...

And now, his very life was being threatened!

No matter what, he, Kokushibo, absolutely could not lose!

He had to win, regardless of the cost or the methods he had to employ!

Having steeled his resolve, Kokushibo turned his head and roared at Akaza in the distance:

"Akaza!"

"Are you not coming to help? Dawn is almost upon us!"

"Do you intend to defy the orders of Lord Muzan?"

Akaza looked up at the eastern sky, where the sun could rise at any moment!

No longer daring to hesitate, Akaza ultimately chose to betray his own desires and joined Kokushibo in ganging up on Kujo Tachibana.

With Akaza's intervention, the pressure on Kokushibo instantly eased, while Kujo Tachibana found himself in a precarious position.

After all, Kujo Tachibana was not a demon; if he ignored Akaza, he could just as easily be killed himself.