"Mr. Haruto! Are you all right?!"
Long sword in hand, Kyojuro glanced back at Haruto and called out.
"More or less..."
Haruto clenched his jaw, trying to shift the displaced bone back into place-but the slightest movement brought a sheen of cold sweat to his forehead.
An injury this severe apparently couldn't be healed by his body's own regenerative abilities...
He gritted his teeth and tucked his left hand into the collar of his Haori, minimizing any further damage caused by movement.
Even after receiving an answer, Kyojuro couldn't relax. He turned toward the enraged Akaza, his eyes widening at the powerful aura radiating from the demon. He didn't dare so much as blink.
Akaza's gaze stayed fixed on Haruto. Not a trace of a smile remained on his face, and his short hair whipped in the surging air.
"Whose memories were those... what were those memories?!" He all but roared as he charged at the two of them, raising his fist. "Why were they in my head?!"
"Flame Breathing, Second Form: Blazing Heaven Ascension!"
Kyojuro held his breath and swept his blade upward in a gleaming arc.
The strike split Akaza's fist down the middle, but the demon didn't care. His face was ice-cold as he instantly chose to let the blade slice its way out through the side of his arm.
The Upper Rank demon's regeneration was absurdly fast. Before the blade had even left his body, his fist was already healing, and it hurtled toward Kyojuro's face without slowing.
Falling Star Flash!
In a flash, Haruto held his blade close to his chest and drove it like a thrusting sword toward Akaza's chest at shooting-star speed, slamming into his body.
The long blade pierced straight through Akaza, knocking him several steps backward.
"Urgh-"
The demon clamped down