Kyojuro had barely finished his vow when the entire train let out a teeth-grating groan of twisting metal.
Ruuumble-
It was no longer the vibration of steel, but the sound of some enormous creature writhing.
The carriage's inner walls began to turn soft and slick. Countless lumps of flesh bulged like tumors, then suddenly burst open!
Dozens upon hundreds of fleshy tentacles covered in suckers and sharp teeth emerged from within!
Their targets were the ordinary passengers, still lost in sweet dreams and utterly defenseless.
"Not a chance!"
Kyojuro Rengoku's roar rang out like thunder!
He had not even drawn his blade. Though he moved later, he reached several nearby passengers before the tentacles did, appearing in front of them in an instant.
"Flame Breathing: Second Form: Flame-Heaven Ascension!"
His upward slash whipped up a spiral of searing flames, instantly burning more than a dozen incoming tentacles to charcoal!
Yet more tentacles surged from the floor, the ceiling, and the gaps between the seats, wave after wave.
Sasuke swept his gaze over the entire train.
Eight carriages in total, with nearly two hundred passengers.
Even though Kyojuro was a Hashira, perfectly protecting everyone alone in such cramped, constantly shifting terrain was almost impossible.
He had to give him more help.
Sasuke appeared beside Tanjiro in an instant.
Rather than use Chidori Stream, he pressed two fingers together like a sword and, with extreme speed and precision, jabbed hard at a particular pressure point on the necks of Tanjiro, Inosuke, and the still-drooling Zenitsu!
"Mm!"
"Argh!"
Almost simultaneously, all three jolted awake as though pricked by needles.
The sharp pain instantly freed them from the dream's hold.
"Wh... what happened...?"
Tanjiro rubbed his neck. When he saw the hellish scene inside the carriage, he froze.
"What the hell are these things?!"