Awakening

Although Akaza's strength was clearly lacking compared to that of Kokushibo and himself, he was still an Upper Moon, a demon of formidable power, and by no means a weakling.

If Kujo Tachibana were to force a strike at Akaza's neck, it would only provide Kokushibo with the opportunity to deal a grievous, perhaps even fatal, blow.

If he could only take down one of the two demons, Kujo Tachibana would choose Kokushibo without hesitation.

The "three" of them fell into a brief, eerie equilibrium.

That was until Kujo Tachibana, dancing on the edge of a blade, used his superior speed to send Akaza flying with a single strike, only to have Kokushibo run him through the right side of his chest with a backhanded thrust.

A flash of joy crossed Kokushibo's face; it hadn't been easy!

He was finally about to kill this human swordsman. With his lungs pierced, the man could no longer utilize his breathing techniques!

That meant he was finished!

But before Kokushibo could revel in his victory for long, Kujo Tachibana's palm had, at some unknown moment, clamped down tightly onto his sword-wielding right hand.

Feeling the power from the previous Thunder Breathing surging through his veins, Kujo Tachibana knew this was the strength of his final strike.

Holding his breath and focusing his spirit, as the sun slowly began to rise, violent, surging thunder poured endlessly into the crimson Nichirin Sword in Kujo Tachibana's hand.

"Thunder Breathing - Sixth Form - Thunderclap Roar Modified - Violent Thunder Flash!"

Kujo Tachibana unleashed the technique at point-blank range, his glowing red Nichirin Sword, crackling with the power of thunder, hacking at Kokushibo's neck blow after blow.

Kokushibo, his right hand locked in Kujo Tachibana's iron grip, could not break free, forced to watch helplessly as the long blade carved into his neck again and again.

Until his neck was completely pulverized!

Having exhausted every ounce of his strength, Kujo Tachibana's eyes gradually turned hollow as he collapsed backward onto the ground, losing consciousness entirely.

Kokushibo's severed head, lying on the ground, wore a look of sudden confusion.

He had been decapitated?

Was he truly going to lose?

No, he would not lose!

Even decapitated, he would not be defeated!

Kokushibo's intense obsession with victory and survival prevented him from dying immediately like an ordinary demon.

Instead, fine granulation tissue began to sprout and slowly writhe at the edges of his neck wound.

However, the growth was sluggish, and as the sunlight began to creep in from the distance, Kokushibo's time to linger in this world was running out.

Watching Akaza turn to flee from the encroaching sunlight, Kokushibo shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Akaza!"

"I am not dead yet!"

"Take my head with you!"

He did not know how much time had passed; Kujo Tachibana felt as though he had been trapped in a long, long dream.

In the dream, he had returned to Blue Star, his cancer had vanished, and he lived a simple, ordinary life with his parents, marrying and raising children until he passed away of old age.

Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya looked somewhat weary, his brows furrowed as he processed the urgent documents on his desk.

Only after finishing the most pressing matters within the Demon Slayer Corps did Ubuyashiki Kagaya rise and head toward the door.

"Master." The Kakushi at the door offered a greeting before following behind Ubuyashiki Kagaya.

"Has the Rumble Hashira awakened?" Although Ubuyashiki Kagaya knew they would have notified him if Kujo Tachibana had regained consciousness, he could not help but ask.

The member of the Kakushi shook his head and said, "Lord Rumble Hashira has not yet woken, but Lady Tamayo says he should wake up within these next two days."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded without further inquiry, quickening his pace toward Lady Tamayo's residence.

Lady Tamayo's quarters within the Demon Slayer Corps were not particularly close to his own.

After all, Ubuyashiki Kagaya had to use all his persuasive powers to allow Tamayo, given her unique status, to enter the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.

Had Kujo Tachibana not been so severely wounded that no other physician could help, Ubuyashiki Kagaya would have had no way to convince the others in the Demon Slayer Corps to allow this "female demon" inside.

Seeing the two Grade-A swordsmen at the entrance of Tamayo's courtyard, Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded and said:

"Thank you for your hard work."

Kayama Shinichiro and his companion hurriedly bowed in greeting:

"You are too kind, Master. You are here to see Lord Rumble Hashira, aren't you? Please, come in."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya did not delay, following the two of them into the "sickroom" where Kujo Tachibana lay.

Looking at the youth on the hospital bed, his hair had turned snow-white despite him being only sixteen years old.

With hundreds of bandages wrapped around his body, Ubuyashiki Kagaya could not help but feel his eyes redden.

Just then, several more people walked in from outside.

"Master!" Rengoku Shinjuro arrived with his family.

That night, after Rengoku Shinjuro had found Tamayo with his family, he had prepared to head to the outskirts to assist Kujo Tachibana.

Fortunately, Rengoku Ruka had been by Rengoku Shinjuro's side; otherwise, no one would have been able to stop him.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya smiled gently, looking at the Rengoku family as he said:

"Shinjuro, you need not blame yourself; you should trust in Kujo Tachibana's judgment."

"Isn't it precisely because you trusted Kujo Tachibana that you were able to bring him back?"

"Facing both an Upper Moon and an Upper Moon simultaneously, even based on the simple descriptions from the Kasugai Crow."

"It must have been an unimaginable, brutal battle..."

At these words, everyone in the room fell silent.

Yet, the price paid for this battle was far too high!

Although Kujo Tachibana had severed the head of the Upper Moon Kokushibo, according to the Kasugai Crow's report, Kokushibo did not seem to die immediately.

Instead, Akaza had taken his head and fled.

Every time he thought of this, Rengoku Shinjuro would secretly blame himself.

Why couldn't he have arrived at the scene just a few minutes earlier?

Why was his own strength so weak? If he had possessed the power to fight an Upper Moon, would Kujo Tachibana have stopped him from coming to his aid?

It was precisely because of his own insufficient strength that someone with such mediocre talent as himself was allowed to survive.

And yet, a true genius like Kujo Tachibana was on the verge of falling...

Not only would he never be able to slay demons again, but his remaining lifespan was also dwindling.

Yes, Kujo Tachibana could no longer use Breathing Styles because his lungs had suffered severe trauma.

Furthermore, due to the activation of the Demon Slayer Mark, compounded by the double buff of burning his spirit, Tamayo had determined that it would be difficult for Kujo Tachibana to live past twenty!

In other words, Kujo Tachibana, now sixteen, had less than three years left to live.

When the members of the Demon Slayer Corps learned of this tragic news, they were overcome with sorrow, and their hatred for the demons grew even deeper.

"Hah... cough... hah... cough..."

Two abrupt coughs suddenly echoed from within the room.

Everyone exchanged glances!

"Uncle Kujo is awake!" Rengoku Kyojuro looked toward Kujo Tachibana on the hospital bed with pleasant surprise.

"Kujo Tachibana, how are you feeling?"

"The Rumble Hashira is awake!"

Everyone in the room looked at Kujo Tachibana on the bed, asking questions all at once.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya hurriedly sent someone to bring Tamayo from the next room.

Kujo Tachibana looked at the room full of people, both familiar and strange, as memories flooded back like a tide...