Her head got cut off again

"Blood Demon Art: Flying Blood Scythes!!"

Provoked by Ye Chen, Gyutaro immediately unleashed his Blood Demon Art, sending waves of poisonous, blood-red blade energy hurtling toward him.

Ye Chen rolled, slipping past the Blood Demon Art like a drifting breeze. He wasted no time counterattacking, raising his Nichirin Blade and sending attacks wreathed in white spirit energy toward Gyutaro.

"Blood Demon Art: Rampant Arrogance!"

Gyutaro unleashed another Blood Demon Art, rapidly swinging his sickles to block Ye Chen's attacks.

Yet he felt his opponent's strength growing with every blow. Finally, Ye Chen stood his ground and flicked his Nichirin Blade upward, launching a disc-shaped wave of sword energy that sent Gyutaro flying backward. Several cuts had somehow appeared on his body, even though he had clearly blocked the attacks.

Ye Chen drew his blade back slightly. To Gyutaro's surprise, the color of his Nichirin Blade had changed. No, more precisely, a white glow had somehow enveloped it, making it feel even more threatening.

Ye Chen let out a soft breath. This was, of course, the White Sharpness State from Monster Hunter.

Spirit blade attacks would not bounce off a target. When a full spirit blade combo with the Long Sword landed, it would enter an enhanced spirit blade stage. White Sharpness was only the most basic state; above it were Yellow Sharpness, Red Sharpness, and Blue Sharpness, which could only be triggered in the Valor State. Naturally, these spirit blade states had a time limit. After roughly half a minute, if the spirit blade was not enhanced again, it would drop down a stage until the effect disappeared completely.

He had already purchased the Guild Style Hunting Style.

If Bushido Style emphasized agility and Valor Style emphasized power, then Guild Style was the all-rounder, with exceptionally balanced capabilities.

Ye Chen sized Gyutaro up again. Without using a Breathing Style, he could use this guy to build up his blade's sharpness and get some practice. That might not be a bad choice.

Ye Chen's gaze made Gyutaro's scalp prickle. This guy was practically a monster. His immense strength was bad enough, but his swordsmanship was bizarre too. Even Tengen Uzui, whom Gyutaro knew to be a Pillar-level Demon Slayer Corps fighter, had not seemed particularly difficult to fight. Against this guy, however, he hardly knew where to start.

"Blood Demon Art: Flying Blood Scythes!" Still, he had no intention of giving up. He put some distance between himself and Ye Chen and unleashed his ranged Blood Demon Art again.

Ye Chen remained unruffled. Instead, he played along, standing where he was and continuously slashing apart the incoming attacks.

"Blood Demon Art: Eightfold Sash Slash!"

Farther away, Daki also unleashed her Blood Demon Art as she fought Tengen Uzui. Sashes shot out of her body, slicing toward him from every direction without leaving a single blind spot.

"Sound Breathing, Fourth Form: Resounding Slash: Endless Interval."

Facing Daki's assault, Tengen Uzui used his Breathing Style too. He swung his twin blades, rapidly cutting at the sashes surging in from all sides. Explosions accompanied his slashes, knocking the sashes down one after another.

"Combining gunpowder with a Breathing Style? You're a troublesome one..."

As Daki watched all her attacks get neutralized, a trace of wariness entered her eyes. "You're more troublesome than any of the Hashira I've met before. You must be a rare genius even among the Pillar-level Demon Slayer Corps fighters, right?"

"A genius?" Tengen Uzui sneered, refusing to entertain the word:

"You really don't know anything. The Demon Slayer Corps of this era has people whose true nature is a mystery, people who became Hashira less than three months after first picking up a sword, and people who rivaled a Hashira just two months after joining. Someone like me is nothing more than an ordinary member of that crowd."

"Hmph!" Daki snorted disdainfully at his words, clearly believing he was bluffing. At the same time, more sashes emerged from her body and lashed toward him.

"Did you imprint everyone you ate on those sashes? What a vile demon..."

Anger flashed in Tengen Uzui's eyes as he saw the faces imprinted on the sashes. He readied his twin blades, then swiftly launched a counterattack.

"No, I only imprint things I consider beautiful. There's no reason to stain them with filth for the sake of ugly people. You, though-if I ate you, I'd be quite happy to put you on them."

Although the man before her was clearly stronger, Daki showed no panic. Instead, she remained utterly calm, because she would not die, even if her head was cut off. Her opponent did not seem to have discovered how to kill her yet, and even if he did, she did not believe her brother could be defeated.

"Sound Breathing, Fifth Form: Resonant Whirling Crescendo."

Tengen Uzui used his Breathing Style again. His twin blades spun continuously as he advanced, knocking down the attacking sashes amid a series of explosions. Without slowing, he slashed toward Daki.

"Blood Demon Art: Eightfold Chaotic Dance!" Daki gritted her teeth. Although she was not worried about her life, being constantly overpowered still infuriated her.

Eight sashes shot out at incredible speed, whistling through the air toward Tengen Uzui. But just as Daki thought her attack had succeeded, her gaze suddenly went blank.

Then the world spun around her. Her head had been severed again and fell to the ground.

"You're stronger than a Lower Rank, but you really don't have the strength of the other Upper Ranks."

Tengen Uzui panted lightly. Using his Breathing Style twice in succession had taken a fair amount out of him.

"Damn it!!! My head got cut off again! Why am I always the one getting beheaded?!! Brother, what are you doing? Hurry up and help me!!"

Daki's severed head lay on the ground, her face twisted with rage. Having her head cut off twice, only for her opponent to look down on her like this, made her furious. But anger was useless. All she could do was call her brother for help again.

Enduring several more cuts from Ye Chen, Gyutaro hurried over to Daki, drove Tengen Uzui back a few steps, and reattached her head.

"Little sister, how did you get your head cut off again? This won't do. You need to take better care of it!"

Gyutaro stroked Daki's head as he spoke calmly.

"Brother, hurry up and kill him for me! He's looking down on me again! He said I'm weaker than the other Upper Ranks!" Daki burst into tears in front of Gyutaro, leaving Ye Chen and Tengen Uzui looking embarrassed in the distance. Hadn't this Upper Rank cried twice already? You're an Upper Rank! Should you really be crying this easily?

"Oh! Your brother will get revenge for you, but things aren't looking too good right now. I'll deal with him for you next time."

Gyutaro gave an ugly smile. In his eyes, although Tengen Uzui was powerful, killing the Sound Hashira in a one-on-one fight was only a matter of time. The real problem was the other brat. He could not beat him at all. At this rate, things would go disastrously wrong sooner or later!

"What do you mean, next time? Brother, I want you to kill him now! This Hashira might be hard to handle, but I can tell he's no match for you!"

Daki immediately protested when she heard that. She flung herself onto Gyutaro and began shouting at Ye Chen and Tengen Uzui.

"Don't get cocky! The two of us are one! My brother and I are unbeatable!"

Seeing that Daki refused to give up, Gyutaro felt rather helpless. Still, never mind-as long as his sister was happy. It did not matter if one of them got beheaded anyway. They could simply reattach the head.

"Unbeatable? Then why are you only Upper Rank Six? Why aren't you Upper Rank One? Why aren't you the Demon King?"

Ye Chen yawned, then said to Tengen Uzui, "Bro, I noticed something. Since she said the two of them are one, we probably have to cut off both their heads at the same time. Let's put our backs into it and teach them a lesson."

"..." Gyutaro's expression stiffened...