Awakening

Although Akaza was clearly weaker than Kokushibo and him,

as Upper Rank Three, Akaza was still a powerful demon, not to be underestimated!

If Kujo Tachibana tried to force his way in and cut off Akaza's head,

he would only give Kokushibo an opening to grievously wound or even kill him!

If he could take down only one of them, Kujo Tachibana would choose Kokushibo!

For a brief moment, the "three" of them were locked in a strange stalemate.

It lasted until Kujo Tachibana, dancing along the wire, used his speed to knock Akaza flying with a single slash—only for Kokushibo to stab him through the right side of his chest with a counterstrike...

Kokushibo's face immediately brightened with delight. At last!

He was finally going to kill this human swordsman. The blade had pierced his lung; he could no longer use his Breathing Style!

He was sure to lose!

But before Kokushibo could enjoy his triumph for long, Kujo Tachibana's hand clamped tightly around his sword-wielding right hand.

Feeling the power from his previous use of Thunder Breathing surge through his veins, Kujo Tachibana knew he had enough strength for only one final attack.

He steadied his breath. As the sun slowly rose, wild thunder surged without end into the crimson Nichirin Sword in his hand!

Thunder Breathing, Sixth Form: Thunderclap Roar Modified: Violent Thunder Flash!

Kujo Tachibana pressed in close. His crimson Red Blade, charged with the power of thunder, slashed again and again at Kokushibo's neck.

With Kujo Tachibana gripping his right hand tightly, Kokushibo could not break free. All he could do was watch as the blade struck his neck, blow after blow...

Until his neck was completely smashed to pieces!

Having used up everything and long since run out of strength, Kujo Tachibana's gaze gradually grew vacant. He fell backward to the ground and lost consciousness.

Kokushibo's severed head hit the ground, his expression suddenly bewildered.

Had he been beheaded?

Was he going to lose?

No. He would not lose!

Even if he was beheaded, he would not lose again!

Kokushibo's desperate attachment to victory and survival kept him from dying at once, unlike ordinary demons.

Instead, thin tendrils of flesh sprouted from the wound on his neck, writhing slowly.

But they grew sluggishly, and with the sunlight creeping closer, Kokushibo had little time left.

Seeing Akaza turn to flee from the sunlight, Kokushibo shouted:

"Akaza!"

"I'm not dead yet!"

"Take my head with you!"

After an unknown length of time, Kujo Tachibana felt as though he had been having a very long dream.

In the dream, he seemed to have returned to the Blue Star. His cancer was gone, too. He spent his life with his parents, married, raised children, and lived an ordinary life until he died of old age.

Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya looked exhausted as he frowned over the urgent documents on his desk.

Only after he had finished dealing with the most important recent matters in the Demon Slayer Corps did he get up and head outside.

"Master." A Kakushi waiting by the door greeted him, then followed behind him.

"Has the Rumble Hashira woken up?" Although Ubuyashiki Kagaya knew they would have told him if Tachibana had woken, he could not help asking.

The Kakushi shook his head. "The Rumble Hashira hasn't woken up yet, but Miss Tamayo says he should wake within the next couple of days."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded and asked nothing more. He simply quickened his pace toward Miss Tamayo's residence.

Miss Tamayo's quarters within the Demon Slayer Corps were not very close to his.

Given Tamayo's unusual identity, Ubuyashiki Kagaya had to go to considerable lengths to persuade the Corps to let her into headquarters.

If Tachibana had not been so gravely injured that every physician but Tamayo was at a loss,

Ubuyashiki Kagaya would never have been able to persuade the others in the Corps to let this "female demon" inside.

Seeing the two Kinoe-ranked swordsmen standing at the entrance to Tamayo's courtyard, Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded. "Thank you for your hard work."

Kayama Shinichiro and his companion hurriedly bowed in greeting.

"Master, you're too kind. You've come to see the Rumble Hashira, haven't you? Please, come in."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya wasted no more time. He followed the two men into the courtyard and entered the "sickroom" where Kujo Tachibana lay.

The boy in the bed was only sixteen, yet his black hair had turned completely white.

His body was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, with more than a hundred wounds dressed. Ubuyashiki Kagaya's eyes began to redden.

Just then, several more people entered the room.

"Master!" Rengoku Shinjuro arrived with his family.

That night, after Rengoku Shinjuro had brought his family to find Tamayo, he had planned to go to the outskirts to help Kujo Tachibana.

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

Ubuyashiki Kagaya smiled gently at the Rengoku family.

"Shinjuro, you don't need to blame yourself. You should trust Tachibana's judgment."

"Wasn't it your faith in him that allowed you to bring him back?"

"He faced Upper Rank One and Upper Rank Three at the same time. Even from the Kasugai Crow's brief account,"

"it must have been a battle beyond anything we can imagine..."

At that, everyone in the room fell silent.

But the price of that battle had been far too high!

Tachibana had cut off Upper Rank One Kokushibo's head, but according to the Kasugai Crow, Kokushibo had not died immediately.

Instead, Akaza had carried his head away.

Whenever Rengoku Shinjuro thought of it, he silently blamed himself.

Why hadn't he arrived at the scene a few minutes earlier?

Why was he so weak? If he had been strong enough to fight Upper Rank Three, would Tachibana have stopped him from going to help?

It was only because he lacked strength that a talentless man like him had managed to survive.

While a true genius like Tachibana was about to fall...

Not only could he never slay another demon, but his life expectancy had dwindled to almost nothing.

Yes. Because his lungs had been severely injured, Tachibana could no longer use his Breathing Style.

And with the Demon Slayer Mark awakened and his mind's power burned to stack two buffs, Doctor Tamayo had judged that Tachibana was unlikely to live to twenty!

In other words, sixteen-year-old Tachibana had less than three years left.

When the members of the Demon Slayer Corps learned the grim news, grief overwhelmed them, and their hatred of demons grew even stronger.

"Cough... cough..."

Two sudden coughs came from inside the room.

Everyone exchanged glances!

"Uncle Kujo's awake!" Rengoku Kyojuro cried out in delight as he looked at Kujo Tachibana on the bed.

"Tachibana, how are you feeling?"

"The Rumble Hashira is awake!"

Everyone in the room turned toward Kujo Tachibana and began asking questions all at once.

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

Kujo Tachibana looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar faces gathered around him, and memories came flooding back...