What Kind of Monster Are You?!

Could it have been trying to lure me out...

Thinking it over carefully, it was simply terrifying.

But it could still be fake. Muzan neither wanted to take risks now nor hide for another hundred years.

This conflicted state of mind had even driven him mad at one point!

Rokuro and Wakuraba, who was concealing himself, both knew they were trapped with no way out and could only fight with everything they had.

The three demons had no path of retreat left.

If they ran, Muzan would kill them immediately. If they stayed, there was still a sliver of hope. They might yet be able to kill this demon slayer!

The three demons exchanged glances and saw determination in each other's eyes!

Tanjiro did not have much time left in his Demonification, but he could not leave yet!

Both sides intended to kill the other.

Their fierce battle continued through the forest.

Meanwhile.

On the other battlefield.

The demons Inosuke and the other boy faced had been drastically weakened after Rui's death. The portion of their power that belonged to Rui had completely dissipated.

The burly spider demon's once-mighty body seemed to have shrunk, becoming half its original size!

The other spider demon was not much better off.

When Inosuke saw that, he held his twin blades with a puzzled look on his face. "Huh? Why did you suddenly shrink in the middle of a perfectly good fight? Is this some kind of special technique...?"

But he was not good at thinking. After only a moment of confusion, he raised his twin blades and hacked wildly at the spider demon.

The spider demon turned and ran, while Inosuke chased after it like mad. "Stop right there! What are you running for... Let me chop you to death! Hahaha..."

But upon hearing that, the spider demon ran even faster.

Not far away, the spider demon Zenitsu faced was smarter. Once it confirmed that its power had vanished, it understood something.

"That guy is dead, huh? Hehe... Looks like I can't stay here either..."

It sneered down at the unconscious Zenitsu and said thankfully, "Good thing this demon slayer is weak. I'll kill him, then run away..."

But the moment it finished speaking.

Zenitsu, who had been unconscious, abruptly stood up. He stepped forward, assumed a stance, and gripped his sword hilt with one hand as powerful breathing echoed from his nose.

"What's going on with this guy...?"

The spider demon was utterly bewildered, but it did not think much of it and simply opened its mouth to spit out venom.

Yet just as the venom was about to hit him, Zenitsu suddenly dodged at high speed, reaching the side and lowering his body.

"Thunder Breathing—First Form—Thunderclap and Flash!"

Arcs of electricity flickered across the blade.

Concentrated at one point, brought to the utmost limit!

The next moment.

Zenitsu became a bolt of lightning, using the trees as footholds as he darted back and forth through the forest at incredible speed.

By the time the spider demon sensed that something was wrong, it was already too late. Zenitsu suddenly appeared and severed its head in an instant.

After doing all that, Zenitsu regained consciousness once more. When he saw the dead spider demon, he let out a terrified scream.

"What happened... Why is this guy dead...?"

On the other side, Inosuke had also killed the spider demon. He immediately headed toward Zenitsu, and once the two met up.

They set off at once to find Tanjiro.

However.

After battling the three demons for several minutes, Tanjiro's body had reached its limit, forcing him out of Demonification.

But the three demons opposite him had all suffered injuries of varying severity, their bodies covered in sword wounds.

As for Tanjiro, though he appeared uninjured, that was only because of Lin Fan's healing ability.

His body could be healed, but his mind was exhausted. He could collapse at any moment.

The three demons finally saw hope and all grew excited.

"Kill him now!"

Mukago could barely wait. Tanjiro had cut off one of her hands, and since she could not regenerate it, fear mingled with hatred in her heart.

But the seasoned Rokuro beside her disagreed.

"Be careful of a final counterattack, or him turning out like before..."

Wakuraba, who had once been a ninja, saw the situation most clearly and spoke bluntly.

"No rush. He should be completely exhausted now and could fall at any time. It won't be too late to attack after he passes out."

The three demons stayed far away and watched quietly.

Muzan, who was observing the battle, was so excited that his entire body trembled. The last time he had been this thrilled was during the Kamanue incident!

It felt like he was just about to defeat the boss!

But Tanjiro's eyelids were heavy, while his heart remained unwavering. Even as his vision blurred, he still did not loosen his grip on his sword.

"I can't fall yet..."

But before he could finish speaking.

His consciousness had already entered the Demon Blade. At the boundary between sea and sky, Lin Fan, in the form of Ashuramaru, approached him with a gentle smile.

"You've already done enough. Leave your body to me now, Tanjiro..."

Tanjiro gave him a sincere smile.

"I'm counting on you, Ashuramaru!"

With that, his consciousness fell asleep. Outside, Tanjiro, whose eyes had been closed as he was about to collapse, abruptly opened them and stood up.

But his eyes had turned blood-red, and his entire presence had completely changed.

The three demons across from him did not understand what was happening.

But Muzan knew.

The real monster had awakened!

Chapter 41: What Kind of Monster Are You?!

More accurately, the boss had now entered its second phase!

Muzan's mind tensed up once again.

"Just who are you...?"

After Lin Fan took control of Tanjiro's body, he moved his limbs slightly, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

So this is the Dance of the Fire God?

Since Tanjiro had awakened it, it was time for him to use it!

Holding the sword in one hand, flames suddenly engulfed the blade and began to burn fiercely, like a blazing sun rising in the pitch-black night!

At that moment, a game notification sounded in his mind.

[ Ding! Detected intense negative emotions generated before Lower Rank Five Rui's death. Obtained 3500 Emotion Points!

Demon Power gained 2000 Demon Power, automatically providing the blade wielder with thirty percent Nourishment! ]

The notification ended.

Lin Fan's Demon Power surged, while Tanjiro's body underwent the cleansing of Demon Power Nourishment. His entire aura began rising steadily!

The three demons opposite him were not fools.

Rokuro, the oldest and most experienced among them, spotted the anomaly at a glance. With an ugly expression, he demanded, "Although your appearance hasn't changed at all, my instincts are telling me that you aren't that demon slayer!

Just who are you?!"

Mukago beside him still did not understand what was happening, her cute face filled with confusion.

Wakuraba, hiding in the shadows, had also noticed something unusual. His past experience as a ninja allowed him to quickly judge a person from every aspect.

Compared to before, this demon slayer was practically a completely different person!

But he did not speak and reveal his location. Instead, he hid himself even more thoroughly, ready to launch a surprise attack at any moment.

Seeing that he had received no answer, Rokuro could no longer sit still. He crossed his hands and formed seals.

"Blood Demon Art—Chaotic Impalement!"

The surrounding controlled trees had their branches turn incomparably sharp, and after targeting Tanjiro's location.

The branches rapidly lengthened and shot toward him from every direction.

Facing the rushing branches, Lin Fan looked utterly calm. All he had to do was hold his sword in one hand, lock onto the incoming branches, and bring down his blade.

Yet his speed was astonishingly fast.

With his body shifting and weaving, he cut down every incoming branch within a few breaths before coming to a calm stop.

This combat ability was far beyond anything Tanjiro could compare to.

Lin Fan did not know why that was.

But ever since becoming a Demon Blade, he had gained an exceptionally deep understanding of combat, Breathing Styles, and sword techniques. Perhaps that was also a talent granted by becoming a Demon Blade...

When he came back to his senses, the Nourishment had already ended.

Tanjiro's body had once again been greatly strengthened, and with the Demon Power Lin Fan had stored up.

Even without using Demonification, these three demons were no match for him!

With that thought.

Lin Fan moved Tanjiro's body.

His body flashed forward, his feet stepping in a peculiar rhythm as he surged in like a wave, heading straight for Rokuro.

"Am I your target? You're too naive!" The cracks on Rokuro's face rapidly multiplied as his hands formed seals at high speed.

"Blood Demon Art—Wooden Man Technique!"

The nearby trees seemed to answer a summons, all converging and twisting together.

Mukago in the distance followed closely behind.

"As long as I kill him, Lord Muzan will definitely forgive me! Die, you damned demon slayer!

Blood Demon Art—Boundless Rootfall!"

The vines controlled behind her rooted themselves in place. Smaller flower buds suddenly grew from either side of the bud at their tips.

The three buds bloomed at once, bearing abundant fruit, while the rooted vines below rapidly sprouted several branches that slithered like agile snakes.

Fruit rained down from above, while vines coiled below!

Lin Fan swiftly dodged the dense barrage of fruit in front of him, and when his gaze was fixed on the air.

Several vines attacked from the ground, seizing the opportunity.

They thrust directly at him.

But in the face of the ambush, Lin Fan merely shifted his grip on the sword. "Dance of the Fire God—Scorching Bone Blazing Sun!"

The blade spun, blooming with flaming slashes that instantly severed every incoming vine, while the fruit descending from midair was reduced to ash as well.